May 2016 by Real Estate Magazine (REM)

Issue #323

May 2016

Wasim Elafech Top Century 21 salesperson in the world

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Page 18

Report identifies 36 dangers to the industry Page 3

FINTRAC steps up brokerage audits Page 3

Working in real estate rocks! Page 10

THERE’S ROOM FOR YOU AT THE TOP

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REM MAY 2016 3

Report identifies 36 dangers to the industry From brokers going broke to the Competition Bureau forcing the MLS System to become a public utility, a report commissioned by CREA identifies dangers that could impact Canada’s residential real estate industry. By Jim Adair

report commissioned by CREA tells Canadian real estate professionals not to be paranoid and then identifies 36 potential threats to real estate salespeople, brokers, boards and associations and the MLS System. Presented at CREA’s AGM in March, the D.A.N.G.E.R. Report (Canada Edition) was written by U.S.-based Stefan Swanepoel, CEO of consulting firm Swanepoel T3 Group. His firm interviewed 30 executives from Canada’s largest real estate companies, boards and associations to identify the biggest threats facing the industry. “It is said that ‘Black Swans’ are unpredictable future events, some of which may never occur. So do not become paranoid, but at the same time be alert to the potential risks so that you may be better prepared for the Black Swans that do occur,” writes Swanepoel. “While this report seeks to identify the most significant dangers, it deliberately avoids providing solutions,” he says. “It was decided at the outset that identifying the solutions is the responsibility of each respective organization

and its leader. How each leader strategically interprets and responds to the dangers will ultimately determine the unique competitive advantages or disadvantages that set them apart from their competitors.” Nine dangers impacting salespeople range from commissions spiralling downward to having FSBOs evolve into a do-it-yourself model. It also identified “current baby boom salespeople being pushed out” as a danger, suggesting that “after two decades of the Internet, online marketing and mobile technologies, the average salesperson still lags behind where they should be.” “Marginal salespeople damage Realtor reputation” is another danger, says the report. “Most professionals….require thousands of hours of study… Residential real estate is not a profession and obtaining a real estate license has always been relatively easy….The time has come for the real estate salesperson to be held to the level of a professional,” says the report. Other dangers to salespeople include “market share concentrates into even fewer hands” as a small group of salespeople “secure a

disproportionately large market share of all home sales.” “The decline in the relevancy of salespeople” is listed as another threat. For brokers, the report lists the top danger as “real estate brokers simply go broke.” Swanepoel writes, “A growing number of brokerages are not financially sound and, as a result, are reducing the products and the services they provide to their salespeople dramatically…An economic downturn in big cities, such as Toronto and Vancouver that have experienced almost two decades of continuous growth, could result in a large decline in the number of viable real estate brokerages.” Another danger to brokers is that “technology becomes a runaway train” in which the resources necessary to keep up with changes exceed the average brokerage’s ability to remain competitive. Other dangers: “The expansion of teams strangle brokerages”, “mere posters and FSBOs create unwanted liability”, “an industrywide race to the bottom” and “big companies increase dominance.” For organized real estate, the report says that “growing mission

creep” among local, provincial and national associations has resulted in “channel conflict and a duplication of services,” leaving associations fighting for economic viability. The unwieldy governance structure of boards and associations, opposition to consolidation, huge declines in membership, conflicts with regulators and a tendency for boards to cater to the “lowest common denominator” of the association’s membership are cited as other dangers. Finally the report looks at dangers impacting the MLS System, including the danger that a new nationwide system would marginalize the value of existing local systems. Entry by a powerful portal from outside the country is another danger, as well as the possibility that “someone builds a better mousetrap” or “major security

breaches occur.” Another danger is that the federal Competition Bureau could force the MLS System to become a public utility. The final danger cited is, “A rapidly changing marketplace and battles over market share and leaderships create antagonism between brokerage operations, the Realtor community, MLS systems, portals and regulators.” Swanepoel says, “It is incumbent upon every real estate professional who reads this report to ensure that we are leaving a healthy and thriving industry to the next generation. To that end, read this report with the intent of not only becoming informed, but with a commitment in becoming a proactive part of find the solutions for the future.” To read the full report, visit dangerreport.com/canada/ REM

FINTRAC steps up brokerage audits S

ignificant deficiencies in how some salespeople and brokerages in the Vancouver area are handling their obligations under Canada’s antimoney laundering law has prompted Canada’s financial intelligence unit to increase the number of examinations it performs in the real estate sector right across the country. “I don’t want to identify specific areas but I think it’s safe to assume FINTRAC is targeting larger markets where concerns have been raised,” says Darren Gibb, communications manager with The Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre

(FINTRAC). In early to mid 2015, Gibb says FINTRAC received intelligence that prompted it to significantly increase its scrutiny of Vancouver real estate brokerages. Federal examiners looked at approximately 80 firms and discovered 55 instances of “significant and very significant deficiencies” in how some salespeople were fulfilling their obligations under the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act. In order of importance, Gibb says deficiencies were related to policies and procedures, risk assessment, recordkeeping and client identification.

Taking identification as an example, Gibb says all real estate salespeople have a responsibility to identify their clients, determine whether third parties are involved in transactions and keep accurate records. Verifying a client’s identity, he says, is as simple as checking and recording their governmentissued identification. “The international community and Government of Canada have acknowledged the real estate industry is vulnerable to money laundering,” says Gibb. “Money laundering is like the flow of water; it takes the path of least resistance. And, quite frankly, we’re seeing how real estate is being used to

launder money.” CREA vice president of government and public relations Randall McCauley says in this day and age, there is absolutely no excuse for Realtors not to ascertain their client’s ID during a transaction. “Look, I’m on the road right now and I have to show my ID at least four times,” says McCauley. “I show it when I check in to the airport, again when I get to the airport gate, when I rent my car and when I check in to the hotel. So, I think it’s fair to say we need to do a better job collectively – organized real estate and Realtors – at respecting the rules, which are

By Tony Palermo

pretty clear and simple to understand.” Still, McCauley also believes FINTRAC needs to do a better job at understanding the real estate business in its risk-based guidance approach to ensuring compliance. As an example, he points to a situation where a transaction is considered riskier and subject to enhanced due diligence if it’s the client’s second transaction within a five-year period with the same broker. This, says McCauley, fundamentally misunderstands the nature of the real estate business and helping families. Continued on page 6

4 REM MAY 2016

Multiple Listings By Jim Adair, REM Editor Do you have news to share with Canada’s real estate community? Let REM know about it! Email: jim@remonline.com

entury 21 Benchmark Realty recently opened a boutique office that specializes in residential, commercial and development-focused real estate in the North York community of Toronto. Owner John Di Tommaso grew up in the area and brings extensive real estate experience to foster the growth of the new office, the company says. Broker of record Robert Principe offers eight years of experience in the banking industry and 20 years in real estate. Di Tommaso says he spotted the opportunity to open an office after witnessing huge real estate

market growth in the area. With several residential housing developments underway, as well as a new hospital and subway to support and attract future residents, the area isn’t slowing down. Since day one as a Realtor, Di Tommaso says that opening his own real estate office was his dream. “It feels good to help business owners, investors and families in the areas I grew up in.” ■ ■ ■

Two high profile salespeople have left competing firms and joined the Keller Williams Black Diamond Realty team in

Burnaby, B.C. Melissa Wu is leaving Sutton and Roland Kym is moving from a Re/Max brokerage. Wu is a member of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver’s President’ Club, the top one per cent of all real estate agents in the Greater Vancouver area. She sells more houses than 99 per cent of the 13,000 real estate agents on the board. During the past six years, Kym has also made the top one per cent of Vancouver Realtors based on sales volume. The Black Diamond Market Centre, owned by Juliana Vallee, was established in 2013 and is home to 90 associates. In 2015, Keller Williams Black Diamond Realty shared more than $100,000 with its associates in profit share, the brokerage says. ■ ■ ■

Cameron McNeill

Roland Kym

Melissa Wu

The Toronto brokerage formerly operating as Re/Max Vision Realty has joined the Royal LePage network. Established in 2003, the brokerage is active in Toronto’s downtown condo market and the northeastern resale market in the GTA. Asgher Naqvi is the broker of record. Now named Royal LePage Vision Realty, the brokerage has a

team of more than 80 salespeople and has built strong relationships with home builders, the company says. “Our strength over the past 13 years is rooted in technology and how innovation translates to exceptional service,” says manager Daljinder Gill. The goal of the brokerage is to grow to 150 agents by year end, the company says. ■ ■ ■

HomeLife/United Realty in Brampton, Ont. has been terminated as a HomeLife franchisee for failing to meet its contractual financial obligations under its current ownership, the company says. “Although we pursued every avenue to avoid this conclusion, we were unable to reach a satisfactory resolution,” says Ed Pupulin, director of international business development at HomeLife Realty Services. “HomeLife/United’s sales representatives are encouraged to remain within the HomeLife family by joining another HomeLife brokerage in their area.” HomeLife/United Realty had more than 200 salespeople. The brokerage was founded in 1989. Parvinder Singh took sole possession of the multi-branch brokerage in 2008, says HomeLife. In February, the Real Estate Council of Ontario issued a proposal to revoke registration for Singh. That case is still pending. ■ ■ ■

The longest operating real estate office in the Moncton Metro and surrounding area, Century 21 Countryside Realty, has new owners and a new name.

Laurie Pelletier

Tim Beaulieu and Audrie Elderkin-Beaulieu are the new owners of the renamed Century 21 A & T Countryside Realty. The brokerage has been in business since 1981. In 2014 and 2015, the company earned the Century 21 Centurion Office award for top sales results. In 2015, the team achieved the Century 21 Per Person Productivity award for the individual sales successes of their Realtors. The brokerage has two locations, in Moncton and Sackville, and this summer the owners plan to open a new office in Moncton. ■ ■ ■

MAC Marketing Solutions and BLVD Marketing Group, two Vancouver-based real estate project marketing companies, have merged to form Western Canada’s largest real estate marketing organization, McNeill Lalonde & Associates. “By coming together and adding resources, we are now poised to provide clients with an added suite of services and a more comprehensive offering,” says Ryan Lalonde, founder of BLVD. The company says its goal is to build on the foundations of both brands, and provide analytics, marketing, sales and advisory services to major metropolitan centres across Canada. “We determined quickly that our business goals aligned. What we spent far more time discussing was our respective company cultures,” says Cameron McNeill, founder of MAC marketing solutions. “This merger would not be taking place if we didn’t feel that we could not just maintain, but in fact enhance our cultural spirit,” McNeill says. The combined organization includes 110 employees and sales and leasing staff working on more than 80 projects in various stages of development throughout Greater Vancouver, Fraser Valley, Victoria, Edmonton and Calgary. ■ ■ ■

Royal LePage CEO Phil Soper (centre) with the Royal LePage Vision Realty team.

At the grand opening of Engel & Völkers Tremblant, from left: Anthony Hitt, CEO of Engel & Völkers North America; Steven Lafave, managing director, Engel & Völkers Tremblant; and Richard Brinkley, senior VP market development, Engel & Völkers Canada.

Laurie Pelletier is now broker/owner of Century 21 Impact in Mont Saint-Hilaire, Que. Pelletier joined the office in 2009. Pelletier has won national awards for her sales success, earning the 2015 Century 21 Masters Emerald award, the Century 21 Masters Silver award in both 2014 Continued on page 6

Partner with Innovation.

6 REM MAY 2016

Multiple Listings Continued from page 4

and 2013 and the 2012 Century 21 Masters Ruby award. Century 21 Impact offers residential, commercial and recreation property real estate services. ■ ■ ■

■ ■ ■

Century 21 Westcountry Realty is celebrating 25 years serving the Rocky Mountain House, Alta. community and so is new owner Larrissa Kalyn. Kalyn took over the locally owned family business from her mother Terri Kalyn in 2015. The brokerage has also merged with Century 21 Alta West Realty, rebranding their Sundre location to the Westcountry banner.

Cover photo: BRYCE MEYER

Robert Lipman Century 21 Westcountry Realty

Patrick James

FINTRAC steps up Continued from page 3

John Stewart

Terry Taylor

Kalyn celebrates her 25th anniversary with the office this year working in a variety of roles. As owner, she will build on her 16 years of experience managing the office, the company says.

office, industrial and retail asset classes, the company says.

■ ■ ■

John Stewart has been appointed Colliers International Canada’s senior vice president, capital markets. He is responsible for the origination and execution of institutional investment property brokerage transactions across Canada and is based in Toronto. Stewart most recently served as vice president of BMO Capital Markets Real Estate Group where he was involved in more than $2 billion of transaction volume representing many large public, institutional and private investors. He joins Colliers with 10 years of experience, having completed more than $3 billion in investment brokerage transactions in the

■ ■ ■

Avison Young has acquired Calgary-based property appraisal company Linnell Taylor Lipman and Associates. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Established in 1987, Linnell Taylor Lipman & Associates (LTL) is a professional real estate appraisal and consulting corporation. The change in ownership adds 14 employees to Avison Young’s operations. Terry Taylor, Robert Lipman and Patrick James become principals of Avison Young. Taylor also becomes director, valuation and appraisal services in Calgary. Also joining from LTL are: Aaron Nelson, Suzanne Clarke, Abhishek Paul, Ehren Schroeder, Max Findlay, Dave Durant, Kira Penner, Kimberly Parker, Brett Dombrova, Liam Fast and Marcia Lawrence-Francis. REM

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“Maybe the family has become larger and needs more space or is downsizing because the kids are off to a different school,” says McCauley. “I can’t give you any hard numbers but I can tell you this is very common and happens all of the time.” As McCauley says, in this context, “there is no way that family should fit any definition of greater risk.” Both sides agree there is more work to do to ensure compliance. Gibb says although the rules don’t change very often and are well-documented with plenty of support, FINTRAC is putting more attention on educating Realtors about why the rules are in place. He points to a recent webinar as early signs of success where the feedback received from Realtors was positive. “The first half of the webinar went through the requirements under the act, but in the second half we had one of our intelligence officers explain and show how FINTRAC is seeing money laundering in the real estate sector,” says Gibb. “We’re trying to educate and break the denial (by Realtors) that money laundering doesn’t happen or that ‘it really doesn’t apply to me.’”

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REM is published 12 times a year. It is an independently owned and operated company and is not affiliated with any real estate association, board or company. REM is distributed across Canada by leading real estate boards and by direct delivery in selected areas. For subscription information, email distribution@remonline.com. Entire contents copyright 2016 REM. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. The opinions expressed in REM are not necessarily those of the publisher. REALTOR® and REALTORS® are trademarks controlled in Canada by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify licensed real estate practitioners who are members of CREA. MLS® and Multiple Listing Service® are trademarks owned by CREA and identify the services rendered by members of CREA. REM complies fully with the CREA’s Trademark Policy (section 5.3.2.6.1). ISSN 1201-1223

Although Gibb would not release any specific details about the Vancouver cases, he says where FINTRAC determines there are significant deficiencies, “enforcement action” is taken. Where “very significant deficiencies” are discovered as found in Vancouver, monetary penalties are levied. And those penalties can be high. On Jan. 14, FINTRAC imposed an administrative penalty of $34,175 against Groupe Mackay, a real estate brokerage in Lachine, Que. for four identified deficiencies, one of which was “incomplete and inaccurate record keeping of client information, including those related to ascertaining client identity.” The Real Estate Council of British Columbia responded to REM’s request for an interview by pointing to a press release dated March 18, which says the council supports FINTRAC in taking appropriate action against brokerages that do not comply with federal law, and another dated Apr. 1, which announces the hiring of a staff lawyer who will assist in the council’s investigations of potential licensee misconduct. REM

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Engel & Völkers officially launched its brokerage in MontTremblant, Que. at a grand opening celebration in the heart of the pedestrian village recently. The event was attended by more than 200 guests. The grand opening began with a ribbon cutting ceremony led by Anthony Hitt, CEO of Engel & Völkers North America, who was joined by Patrice Malo, president and CEO of Station Mont Tremblant and Steven Lafave, a Playground Tremblant veteran and now the managing director of the new Engel & Völkers Tremblant. “The grand opening of Engel & Völkers Tremblant celebrates a valuable addition to our North American network, as the new shop is situated in an ideal location to expand our footprint in the region and to meet the needs of our clients who enjoy the active outdoor living the market has to offer,” says Hitt. The brokerage is an alliance between Engel & Völkers and Playground Tremblant, a resort real estate brokerage firm and subsidiary of Intrawest, a resort and adventure company and owner of Station Mont-Tremblant Resort.

This is home. It’s a place called comfort. It’s called home for a reason. It’s the place where your clients feel secure, happy, and at peace. We understand this. Through expertise and insight, our job is to help make the wonderful idea of home a beautiful reality. For every client, for every home.

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8 REM MAY 2016

HomeLife wades into international market “Our own brokers and agents and some of our competitors…may want to get involved not just here in Canada but in the country of their origin,” says HomeLife CEO Andrew Cimerman By Jean Sorensen

omeLife Realty Services, headquartered in Toronto, is offering territory franchises in foreign countries in a bid to take its brand deeper into the international market. The decision to push his franchise brand into the international market has been a long-standing goal for HomeLife CEO and company founder Andrew Cimerman. He is also the head of two other real estate brands, Realty World and Red Carpet, which already have an international presence. He says queries both from within and outside the company has spurred the offering. It was initially made to HomeLife broker/owners and agents, says Cimerman, but it’s also available to other individuals who have not have had the opportunity to pick up territorial franchises or are bound by different restrictions in Canada. “We have no problem saying to these people if you want to go into business

World also has international offices. It has sold master franchise agreements in Bulgaria, Serbia, Turkey and Mexico, and the brand has a single franchise in Panama (but no master agreement). The HomeLife brand is less developed. It has a multi-office franchisee in Portugal but no master franchise, a Romania master franchise that was sold earlier and a representative office in Slovenia (with no intent to sell a master franchise). There’s an office in China but no master franchise there, and Cimerman says he is open to selling the whole country or any of the 50 regions. Armenia’s rights were sold to HomeLife Vision Realty broker of record Ken Kakoullis. Cimerman is now talking to representatives of an investment fund in India about the rights to that country. In mid-March, an inquiry came in regarding Moscow. The price that Cimerman

“I have a special place in my heart for people who are not financially strong but are entrepreneurial,” says Andrew Cimerman. (outside Canada), we are willing to talk,” says Cimerman. Cimerman is no stranger to the international market. More than 30 years ago when he started his own company, he realized the potential of franchising both in Canada and in other countries. He has had international master franchise agreements and sales representative offices in place in several countries, mainly for Realty World and Red Carpet. They are both active in the U.S. and Realty

wants for the master franchise rights varies and is based on the potential to open franchisee offices. “A smaller country that may only be able to support 20 to 50 (franchise) agencies might cost $50,000,” he says, adding that in larger countries such as India, which can sustain 5,000 agencies, the price could rise to $2 million. Acquiring international rights by master franchisees is a multiphase process, he says. Initially, there is an inquiry relating to an

interest, followed by exploratory sessions and then a face-to-face meeting with the principals. They are brought to the Toronto head office of HomeLife. “We want them to see what we have available, to look at our systems and tools, to see our technology and model operation,” he says. “We want them to have a good idea of what we do and ensure that they will fit into our style.” In some countries, modifications to the HomeLife system may be required and such aspects are considered and discussed. “We let them do their due diligence on us and we are also doing our due diligence on them,” he says. Once an investor or a group of investors has acquired the rights to a territory or master franchise, they can sell franchises within that territory. The master franchisee receives 100 per cent of those sales proceeds. When the HomeLife Canada corporate, foreign master franchisee and franchisee offices are in place, there is a sharing of revenues on real estate sales. Cimerman gives the example of a Munich HomeLife office (a franchisee agency) selling a home for 500,000 Euros and earning a five per cent commission of 25,000 Euros. The German master franchise owner would be entitled to five per cent of that 25,000 Euro commission, or 1,250 Euros. HomeLife in Canada would be entitled to 15 per cent of the German master franchisee’s 1,250 Euros or 187.50 Euros. However, if there is a need for the master franchisee to serve in a consulting capacity (because of language or other related issues), then the 15 per cent commission is split 50-50 between the two entities. Cimerman is not waiting for deals to fall into his lap, but has a sales strategy in place that offers wealth-building opportunities for individuals who broker deals for a buyer or group of buyers. “We pay 50 per cent to the broker who sold those rights,” he says, adding that if rights to India are estimated at $2 million, the broker

Andrew Cimerman (Photo by Marko Shark)

gets a $1 million commission. He said the broker can be anyone who sees an opportunity, or an individual who is only working part-time but has the potential to find investors. Selling internationally is proving a positive fit for Cimerman’s franchise business, as he has been fast to adapt computer and Internet technology that reaches around the world. Once a franchise is established, the agency or master franchisee has access to HomeLife’s online resource centre. “We have more than 100 courses on the website and they only have to click to get the education they need,” he says, adding courses relate to all aspect of the business from selling to operating a master franchise. Cimerman is also not unaware of the business synergies that can be created through an international network and agencies in the U.S. and Canada. HomeLife has

programs in place to capture those benefits. There is the opportunity to assist with international moves as agents have access to both rental and home sales in all international markets. He also has programs in place that can determine the cost of moving items from country to country. Ever the entrepreneur, Cimerman, who began in real estate with one suit and few dollars in his pocket, wants his international venture to create opportunities for new entrepreneurs; those individuals who may not have financial resources but are willing to work at a master franchise. “We are really open to helping the world; it is not just about money but helping people reach a level they have dreamed of. I have a special place in my heart for people who are not financially strong but are entrepreneurial. We are welcoming these people even if they can’t pay upfront.” REM

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10 REM MAY 2016

Working in real estate rocks!

We’ve all heard the comparisons to used car dealerships and sleazy salesmen. Let’s counteract the negativity and celebrate the best things about working in the real estate industry today. By Toby Welch

ames Buonassisi, a salesperson with Re/Max Select Realty in Vancouver, never wavers as to what he loves most about this industry.

profession in 2016 is the pride that he takes “in knowing that the national real estate industry has been instrumental in providing enduring stability in the Canadian economy and is the key source of financial wealth for most families.”

“What I like about working in real estate has always been the same. I truly enjoy making my clients happy and getting to work with great people. Not everyone appreciates the hard work but most do. I also really like the challenge of putting a difficult deal together, whether it’s a different kind of property or the price is difficult to establish.” Stéphane Caron, a salesperson with Royal LePage Inter-Quebec in Quebec City, appreciates the benefits of technology. “The use of technology these days helps a lot in managing our time, being more efficient and connecting with clients without meeting in person. For example, the use

Stéphane Caron

of FaceTime with my phone to show a house located in Quebec City when the client is working in Vancouver. Another example – I was on vacation in the Philippines for five weeks and got three offers. I could sign the documents electronically from overseas. This would have not been possible a few years ago.” Working with fellow agents is important to Caron. “We are

Andrew Ipekian

matchmakers and our goal is to make clients happy. Yes, we are competing to get clients but we all have different personalities and ways to approach clients. I will never get mad if someone got a client that I was hoping to get. It just means the other agent had a better presentation and connection with the client.”

Carol Burke, the broker/ owner of Burke Realty in St. John’s, Nfld. appreciates the diversity of the clients she works with and the types of properties involved. “A typical work week at my office would be meeting with a young couple who are new to Canada and are looking to rent an apartment for a year, and then to purchase their first home the following year. On another day I would meet with a long-time client who is an investor looking to sell several of his condominium rental units to help finance the purchase of a commercial building.”

Andrew Ipekian, a broker with Keller Williams Referred Urban Realty in Toronto, finds the unknown thrilling. “The market in Toronto is hot and with a constant flow of buyers, our listings sell quickly as they appeal to many different walks of life. You never know what the buyers’ motivations are as they could be looking for a primary residence, home for their children, investment rental income, renovate and flip or even a second home. This is what makes the job so exciting!”

Burke continues, “I work with clients from the very young to the very mature; from diverse cultural backgrounds; varying levels of financial ability; some who have lived in the same town all of their lives and in the same house in which they were born, and whose first and only real estate transaction is to sell their lifelong home to move to a retirement community.” Others, she says, “are transferred every several years to a different city or country and have real estate investments here at home to deal with from afar. There is rarely a dull day at my office.”

Lethbridge, Alta., broker Robert W May thrives on the economic rollercoaster. “As a broker who has been involved in the industry since 1993, I have worked through the everchanging and evolving economic tides.” He says the best thing about being involved in the

“As Re/Max is an international corporation, I often get the opportunity to chat with agents around the world at

In Canmore, Alta., Jessica Stoner, an associate broker with Re/Max Alpine Realty values the relative strictness in Canadian real estate.

our conferences, and it is easy to pinpoint what I like best about our real estate industry… I am so grateful to work in real estate in Canada as we have some of the strictest laws governing agents and protecting the public. These are rigidly enforced and in turn have made Canadian real estate one of the most secure investment vehicles in the world. Canadians and want-to-be Canadians buy and own with confidence and our market has remained relatively stable compared to the rest of the worlds’ housing markets in turbulent times. I am very happy that I can work in a controlled industry and that it isn’t the Wild West like in some countries!” Like Caron, Rick Dubord, the president of HomeLife Realty Service in Surrey, B.C., appreciates technology. “One of

Carol Burke

the major benefits of working real estate in Canada has to be Realtor.ca,” he says. “It’s the most visited site in the country for real estate information. In the U.S. where they have multiple different portals for information on home and property listings, that can be overwhelming for potential clients. Not to mention billion-dollar companies like Zillow that are now taking part of

Jessica Stoner

the commission dollar. Realtor. ca is non-profit and allows us to connect with the client in a convenient, more efficient way.” John Knox, the president of Fair Realty in Nelson, B.C., values the professional standards of agents. “Real estate has changed a lot in the last years – and certainly since I started back in 1988,” Knox says. “The best thing for me is how well-informed buyers and sellers are now as a result of the Internet and free access to information and, as a result, how they value the professional advice of their agent as opposed to seeing us as just a salesperson.” Knox says, “There is a definite shift to valuing agent expertise and advice in the presence of all the information available. It’s also very clear that the level of education, professionalism and expertise amongst agents has never been better and just keeps improving every year. I’m very proud and honoured to be part of this industry and look forward to the future and the continuing evolution that will bring.” REM

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12 REM MAY 2016

New Sotheby’s CEO sees no slowdown Brad Henderson says although foreign investment is blamed for driving up house prices, limited inventory, strong consumer confidence and low interest rates are also important factors. By Susan Doran

he Canadian economy may be a tad lacklustre at the moment, but a recent report from Sotheby’s International Realty Canada suggests that the luxury real estate market is on fire, particularly in Vancouver and Toronto. Many people believe that the astronomical price gains seen in top-tier housing markets are a house of cards, poised for a spectacular tumble. That’s clearly not the opinion of Brad Henderson, the newly appointed president and CEO of Sotheby’s International Realty Canada. One of the leading luxury real estate companies in the world, Sotheby’s is a rarefied brand, catering to high net worth individuals, including luminaries such as Celine Dion (whose stone mansion complete with helipad on a private island near Laval, Que. – asking price $25.5 million – was recently sold through Sotheby’s). Following the company’s recent spring outlook report, Henderson confirmed that the company is continuing to see steep price increases in the luxury markets in Toronto and Vancouver, where the strongest volume increases last year were in real estate sales over $4 million. Montreal saw modest gains in its top tier market. But in Calgary the market is slowing due to the impact of declining oil prices. In response to ongoing speculation about whether prices in the luxury market can continue to rise, Henderson says that Sotheby’s Canada, which currently has 400 agents and offices in over 30 residential and resort markets across the country, “has experienced year-over-year growth since coming into the market in 2005” and is not expecting that to slow down any time soon. Henderson says he does not think an interest rate increase would have much of an impact on the real estate market, particularly the small bump-up that is anticipated in Canada. Not that that’s something a Sotheby’s client – many of whom own multiple

properties and buy them outright with cash – would necessarily have to worry about. “I’m delighted to be with Sotheby’s International Realty Canada. I’m more excited than I’ve been in my life about a job,” says Henderson. “Sotheby’s is one of the best known brands in the world and has attracted top real estate advisors as well as buyers and sellers of some of Canada’s most prestigious properties.” He says he has been brought on board to help “expand the company’s footprint” in both new and existing Canadian markets. But for now, the specifics of the expansion plans are “a corporate secret,” he says. Anecdotes about Sotheby’s internationally famous clients past and present are also a topic Henderson keeps close to his chest. You aren’t likely, for instance, to pry any information out of him about notorious U.S. presidential hopeful Donald Trump. “We deal with celebrities, sports figures, business personalities. They all have one thing in common and that is that they don’t like publicity,” Henderson says. With more than 30 years of diverse business experience, Henderson has undoubtedly kept his share of corporate secrets. Before joining Sotheby’s he was senior managing regional director for CBRE Limited in Canada and the North Central United States, where he oversaw a team of 1,200. He has also held senior executive roles at Colliers International and Royal LePage and has worked in the telecom and technology sectors, with executive roles at Telus and Gibraltar Solutions. Born and raised in Toronto, Henderson has a degree in economics from York University. Upon graduation he was unsure what to do next. He’d enjoyed working as a summer student with Royal LePage and so accepted the company’s offer of a full-time position. Eventually he became operations manager and then vice president and general manager of

the Greater Toronto Area, which is how he got his start along the executive path. When offered the position with Sotheby’s Canada, one of the biggest lures for Henderson was the fact that Dundee Corporation – a public Canadian independent holding company – owns the franchise rights for Canada. This sweetened the job offer for him, as he views Dundee as “a unique entrepreneurial company” and “a significant player in wealth management.” He liked the idea of Sotheby’s Canada being “an integral part of it” rather than being run as a collection of individual businesses. “It’s unique in the real estate world in that all the offices are owned by one entity, so it acts like a unified corporation instead of having all offices owned by different people,” Henderson says. In his opinion, this sets Sotheby’s International Realty Canada apart from more mainstream real estate companies. So do its agents, he adds. Although rising prices in

Toronto and Vancouver may be fuelling opportunities for a growing number of sales reps specializing in the luxury market, apparently not just anyone can be a Sotheby’s agent. “It’s a select group,” says Henderson. “They have to be comfortable selling a luxury brand...It’s much more of a ‘white glove’ service...We want to attract and retain some of the most qualified, successful agents in the marketplace and take them to the next level.” The brand itself is a huge draw to consumers, he says, being immensely recognizable and associated with quality and prestige. “That’s a powerful marketing tool our agents are bringing to the client. It differentiates a property,” he says. “Sotheby’s Canada is affiliated with Sotheby’s International, which has 18,000 agents in 825 offices in over 60 countries. So whilst a lot of real estate is local, increasingly more and more is global. When looking at homes, particularly at the high end of the

market, there’s a good opportunity we’ll attract interest from further afield,” Henderson says. People blame foreign investment for driving up housing prices, but Henderson is convinced that it’s only one of many factors, which include limited inventory, strong consumer confidence and low interest rates. “Saying that the market can’t sustain price increases is not looking at the fundamentals,” he says. “Our view is that the Canadian market will continue to be healthy and to see price increases in many areas, with a few exceptions in regions dependant on oil or natural resources, such as Calgary.” With the company’s recent report indicating that the luxury markets in Vancouver and Toronto are continuing to reflect exceptional demand through the first part of 2016, Henderson is happy to have made the move to his new position. “Other organizations are creating luxury brands,” he says, “but REM we are the ambassador.”

14 REM MAY 2016

How to protect your commission: Part 1

By Mark Weisleder

t’s important to understand the rules regarding real estate commissions so that you and your clients are protected. Here are answers to some common questions I receive related to commissions: 1. Can I get paid commission without a signed Buyer Representation Agreement or Listing Agreement? Without a signed agreement, it is very difficult to claim commission. This includes situations where you may have had a signed agreement but the buyer or seller did the deal after expiry of the holdover clause.

In most cases, in order to collect commission you will have to prove that you did more than just introduce the buyer to the seller. You will have to demonstrate that you assisted in the preparation and delivery of the offers and that there was a verbal commitment to pay commission. Make sure you keep a copy of any email or text message that may have been sent relating to commission. At the very least, have the parties sign the confirmation of cooperation and representation at the time you present the first offer, which also confirms that you are acting for them. This has been held to be enough to later support a claim for commission. Better still, don’t work with anyone until you have something signed in writing. 2. Can a buyer avoid paying commission even with a signed BRA? There have been cases where buyers have tried to avoid paying commission by saying that the BRA was not properly explained, and that they thought commission

would only be paid on the one property where an offer was submitted, but later rejected. The buyers claim that they had no idea that the agreement lasted for six months and they were not given a copy for their records. To succeed, develop good habits right now. Always get the buyers to initial the term, even if it is six months or less, and then give them a copy. If you do it the same way every time, it becomes easier to defend against this later. Some buyers also try to sign the BRA in a corporate name and then buy under a different corporation. Make sure you get the president or other authorized signing officer for the corporation to personally sign your BRA as well, to prevent this from happening. Similarly, get both spouses to sign your BRA, to avoid a situation where the spouse who does not sign with you ends up buying the home later and refuses to pay commission. 3. Can I collect commission if I am a listing agent, the seller

accepts the offer but the buyer cannot close? The answer is no. The seller will not have to pay commission. Even if the seller ends up keeping part of the deposit as compensation from the buyer, they do not have to pay commission. It is important to make sure that all buyers are properly qualified. Do not be afraid to ask the buyer salesperson if that is the case, or whether these buyers are just paying five per cent down. If you have serious buyers, your deals will close. If you were representing the buyer and the buyer could not close, you could sue the buyer for commission. However, if the buyer can’t close, it is also likely they do not have the money to pay you either. 4. Can I collect commission if the buyer wants to close but the seller refuses to close? In this case the listing brokerage can collect commission from the seller, as it is provided for in the listing agreement. 5. Do I have to sign the

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mutual release? A brokerage does not have to agree to sign a mutual release, but must follow any direction to pay over a deposit to either a seller or buyer, if it is signed by both the seller and the buyer. By signing a mutual release, you will forfeit any right you may have to claim commission later. 6. Can a seller change their mind about paying the balance of commission just before final closing? The answer is no. The seller has irrevocably directed their lawyer in the agreement of purchase and sale to pay any balance of commission before any money is paid to the seller. If the lawyer pays the money to the seller, then the lawyer can be sued personally for the money. Mark Weisleder is a partner, author and speaker at the law firm Real Estate Lawyers.ca LLP. Contact him at mark@realestatelawyers.ca or toll free at 1-888-876-5529. REM

16 REM MAY 2016

Russia moves to improve real estate regulation

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he Russian Federal AntiMonopoly Service (FAS) and the Accounts Chamber (the parliamentary body of financial control in Russia) is designing a new legislative base for the Russian real estate industry. According to a recent report of FAS, the absence of legislative framework regulating the activities of real estate brokers in Russia does not guarantee the rights of consumers. A new package of laws is needed to better regulate activities and provide transparency to the industry in Russia, says the report. The same position is shared by the Russian Federal Financial Monitoring Service (Rosfinmonitoring), a service that was established to fight money laundering. The Accounts Chamber says the lack of proper regulation also gives poor protection to the rights of domestic real estate brokers, who are often victimized by “criminalized elements,” including crimes organized by corrupt state officials and municipal employees. The proposed laws will return the practice licensing real estate brokers. It was abolished in 2002 and replaced by a certification scheme. According to Rosfinmonitoring, the total number of real estate brokers in Russia, including individual entrepreneurs, is estimated at more than 11,000, and despite the current crisis in the country caused by Western sanctions, it continues to grow. Constantine Aprelev, vice president of the Russian Guild of Realtors, says the activities of most Russian brokers are self-regulated. In order to become a real estate broker, each applicant must pass an exam. Passing these exams has become a formality in Russia in recent years, as long as the right bureaucrats were paid. The situation is aggravated by

the ever growing share of the shadow market, which is comprised of so-called “black brokers” that have no legal obligations to their clients and do not pay taxes. The return of licensing of real estate activities in Russia was proposed by President Vladimir Putin in April 2015, but a final decision regarding this issue has not yet been made. Leading Russian real estate agencies support the FAS proposal. Elena Velizhanskay, head of Berdsk real estate agency, one of Russia’s largest real estate agencies, says Russia needs more strict legislation. “Brokerage activities in the field of real estate is a relatively young type of business in Russia, which was permitted only after the collapse of the USSR in 1991,” says Velizhanskay. “Such business often involves the turnover of large amounts of money. Therefore, brokers must be kept under close surveillance of the national legislation.” The draft of the federal law was tabled in the Russian Parliament (State Duma) in 2011, but it has not yet been adopted, says Velizhanskay. “The adoption of the law is very important, as it will establish uniform regulations on the activities of real estate agents throughout the Russian Federation and will contribute to the further development of this business in the country,” she says. The new law will ensure that accurate information about properties and their owners is provided to real estate brokers by the Russian government and regional authorities, who have been reluctant to release this information in the past. Russian brokers and notaries have been granted direct access to the Russian Unified State Register of Rights to Immovable Property and Transactions, a state database for real estate in Russia. REM

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18 REM MAY 2016

Calgary sales rep is C-21’s worldwide No. 1 Wasim Elafech was once told he wouldn’t survive in this business because he’s too honest. “The person in question just called to congratulate me and apologize for what he said,” says Elafech. By Neil Sharma

f you have a dream, call Wasim.

That would be Century 21 Bravo Realty’s Wasim Elafech, the franchiser’s No. 1 worldwide salesperson in 2015, whose slogan couldn’t be any more appropriate. The Calgary-based sales rep beat out 100,000 other agents around the world to earn the mantle, with 270 transactions. “I didn’t expect it. It’s a career changer,” says the 36-year-old married father of two, adding he initially received a phone call on his daughter’s birthday telling him he was the top national agent, before a subsequent call a week later revealed even better news. “I was in shock. This is the highest peak you can get in the company. It took a while to sink in.” While Elafech credits part of his success to the vast resources a major brokerage provides, he doggedly pursues each and every lead and he’s always working the phone to keep the pulse of the Calgary market. “It’s important to meet with other Realtors and clients,” he says. “I’ll always be calling or taking them out for coffee. I go to everything to make sure my face is there. I don’t do a ton of social media but I do some of it. I got people who I went to high school with who are clients because of Facebook.” Elafech praises his mentor, Graham Wilson, Century 21 Bravo Realty’s broker, whom he says is always available, day or night, to answer queries, whether professional or personal. “You need a great broker,” says Elafech. “Graham is a really good guy, and Century 21 is a big support. They have

great resources. It definitely helps to be with one of larger brokerages.” Elafech advises young sales reps to find mentors, even if it means ceding part of their commissions, because the longterm benefit is invaluable. “Follow around the top agents in your office and ask them what they’re doing, how they did it, and take them out for lunch and shadow them,” he says. “Sometimes you have to spend some money to make some money, so bring a senior agent on…give them a portion of your listing because they’ll show you certain things.” An attribute Elafech prides himself on is honesty; he eschews sideways deals and is transparent with all pertinent information, whether it means advising clients to list lower, or it discomfits a successful transaction. “There are lot of Realtors who want 50 to 100 listings and they’ll take any of them, but I don’t believe in that. I’d rather take 10 quality listings than 50 non-sellable ones,” says Elafech. “I tell clients, ‘I won’t list your home, I’ll sell your home.’ Some Realtors tell them to list higher. I’m honest and will tell them to list lower if they have to. Anybody can list the house, but you have to know what you’re doing to actually sell the house.” Elafech was once told he wouldn’t survive in this business because he’s too honest.

Wasim Elafech (Photo by Bryce Meyer)

oil industry hitting a nadir and the loonie performing poorly against the American dollar, Alberta is reportedly reeling. That’s not entirely accurate, says Elafech. While he concedes the year started slowly, he says the situation in Alberta is far from doom and gloom as reported in the media. People are more conservative with their money than they were before the downturn, he says, but investors are still looking for new – even different – opportunities. “It’s definitely a buyer’s market,” said Elafech. “Anything under $400,000 is going like hotcakes. We can’t keep them on the market.

After he was named the No. 1 agent, “The person in question just called to congratulate me and apologize for what he said.”

“There are still investors out there because people held onto their money and now is the time to invest. I’m getting a lot of calls from investors asking me, ‘If oil is low, where and what should I invest in?’”

Alberta’s economy has been the subject of headlines lately for all the wrong reasons. With the

Elafech adds that the luxury home market took a major hit, but that most other forms of

residential and commercial real estate haven’t much faltered – and won’t, provided people don’t try keeping up with the Joneses. “The Alberta market isn’t as bad as it’s being made out to be, but, that said, it isn’t as hot. However, if my phone didn’t ring, I’d be worried,” he says. “I got another buyer who wants to open a restaurant. There’s always somebody looking for something. “Be smarter with money and financing. Just because you’re making good money, don’t max yourself out. Don’t be mortgage poor. You need money left over at the end of the month for a rainy day.” That said, Elafech predicts the market will rebound nicely this year. For starters, American investors, buoyed by a favourable currency exchange, have their sights set on Calgary. Additionally, many moneyed immigrants are still moving to Calgary in droves.

“Not all immigrants come with no money,” he says. “They come with money and want to open up businesses. From the middle of 2016 to the end of the year, the market is going to be strong.” A culmination of Elafech’s hard work was being the sole agent responsible for selling all 500 merchant-owned commercial units at New Horizon Mall, located about 20 minutes out of downtown Calgary. His opinion is so sacrosanct that when he suggested that commodious underground parking be added to the project – given Calgary’s winter temperature can drop to -40 C – nobody bemoaned the suggestion. “It took up a lot of time,” says Elafech. “I’d be at the office until 2 am some nights and back at the office a few hours later at 7:30. While my sleep got sacrificed, my family didn’t get sacrificed. I take my family on vacation every year, recharge, come back and hit it even harder.” REM

Are you doing well enough that you have no need for an income boost of $10,000.00 a month? Or every couple of weeks? This cheque is fake. But it doesn’t have to be. What if I told you that you could EASILY increase your income from real estate by this much or more EVERY MONTH, if you will take only THREE simple actions…. FREE ONLINE VIDEO WAITING FOR YOU Wait. I’ll tell you about the video in a minute. First, let me tell you why you should bother to watch this online presentation and why virtually every real estate “guru”, trainer, “coach”, etc. hopes you never do. I was a highly successful AGENT for more than 20 years. No one can even come close to matching my track record. THIS INVITATION IS ONLY FOR YOU IF YOU PLACE A HIGH VALUE ON SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENCE. On methods that are working now but have also proven themselves in every kind of market over time and can be counted on. I know from that experience that: This market is good enough, just about everywhere, to reward an agent “with the right stuff,” with a solid 6-figure to a 7-figure income right now, and going forward. Of course, a lot of people would rather have a good excuse than a good plan or have the “love” of their miserable, negative, complaining buddies than a big income and their jealousy. If that’s you, turn the page and forget I came around. But I’ll tell you: there is no legiti g mate excuse for not hav-

ing all the good prospects and clients coming to you right now, for you to have a $200,000 or $300,000 or $500,000+ income you want – and still work sane hours, have a real personal or family life, and be able to “enforce” your time off with your cell-phone off without the desperate fear of loss that comes with poor positioning and utterly unpredictable income and a sense of a “bad market.” Listen, aren’t you SICK AND TIRED of the worry and anxiety of income uncertainty? Of defending your careerr to spouse or family or relatives at holidays – and to yourself? Of believing others are making more, easier, and wondering what’s wrong with you? Of being stuck at a level you can’t rise above? Of feast ‘n celebration, then months of famine? Maybe worse: being “successful” but still feeling anxious about it, trapped by it, working much harder for it than you should have to? I literally re-invented real estate once, and made myself a multi-millionaire agent by doing so. Now I’m doing it again. And the new video presentation I’ve posted for you at www.MoreMillionaireAgents. com - available anytime within the next 30 days (then gone) – tells you my “back story” but more importantly, tells you how I’m reinventing the real estate business….. basically putting my very, very, very proven system on steroids, and tells you how you can be a part of

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it. You may even get that fake $10,000.00 cheque at the top of this ad replaced with a real one, from me, as a “bonus”, on top of the $10,000.00+ increase in your monthly income I create for you. This video reveals the three – just three – simple actions you must take, to separate yourself from the confused, whining, suffering crowd of agents AND from the normal ills and evils of being an agent, so that, bluntly, as they starve out, you prosper. I’m sure you’ll be tempted to ignore this. That’s your prerogative. But cynicism can only lead to resignation. Here is the dictionary definition of a ‘cynic’: cynic y

t B QFSTPO XIP CFMJFWFT that people are motivated purely by self-interest rather than acting for honorable or unselfish reasons : E.g.: some cynics thought that the offer of help to the community concealed a secret agenda. t a person who questions whether something will

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happen or whether it is worthwhile : E.g.: the cynics were silenced when the ‘crazy’ invention actually worked. E.g.: they all laughed when I sat down at the piano – until I started to play! First, as hard as it may be to believe when a stranger shows up at your door like this, I really DON’T need your money, I’m NOT out to get you, and unlike some charlatans I expose, I am NOT peddling the newest, shiniest, social media-est promises that sound so magnificent in a seminar room but evaporate into dust in the real world. You have nothing to fear from me. And I’ll give you overwhelming proof that you can trust me as a truth-teller in a land of gypsies, tramps and thieves. Second, I am actually doing what I’m doing for reasons other than / in addition to making more money. Even Buffett, newly entered as a “brand name” into our world, won’t work for free and neither will I. But I am out to prove something publicly, from which you might well benefit greatly (and that I’ll even guarantee your

benefit from), and I am also motivated by a sincere empathy for the honest, hard-working, successoriented agent and a desire to help such a person. I am honestly appalled by the ways in which the “hot guru-coaches” are misleading and confusing agents, even dooming agents, themselves cynics, and I want to create a “truth and sense zone”. Simply, I am out to create 1,000 New Millionaire Agents within the next 36 months and document their rising up by the same “good sense” system. You can find out all about it by watching the free video. Your “ticket” is www.MoreMillionairem and you have Agents.com 30 days to do it. It’s about 15 minutes long, so go to it when you are in a private place and have arranged to watch the whole thing (if it holds your interest). Or you can turn the page. The first choice has possibilities. The second does not. Go to www.MoreMillionaireAgents.com today.

20 REM MAY 2016

What my guitar taught me about real estate By Ari Lahdekorpi

first picked up the guitar in the mid-’60s. It was the era of the British Invasion, a time when the guitar was king. I wasn’t interested in learning how to play the clarinet or the accordion like many of my friends were being forced to by their parents. It was the guitar that caught my imagination and stimulated my musical heart. The guitar has been very good to me over these years. When I reflect back, I recall the relationships and opportunities given to me that connect directly back to those steel strings. Working as a session player and back-up musician in the past, I have had the opportunity to work with some well-known artists, as well as meet many of my generation’s leading musical personalities. Over the years my guitar has been heard on hundreds of records, radio jingles and TV and film soundtracks. I share this all to reflect on what 45 years of playing guitar has taught me as I relate to the world of real estate. Stay in tune – A lot has been written about the “frequencies” of positive thought and how focusing on the vibrations of energy can result in the secret of success. Whether that is true is subject to debate, but one thing I am sure of is that in order to make a positive connection with people, you need to be in tune with them. Just as a guitar that is out of tune will not resonate with a listener, if you are not in tune with your seller or buyer, it will feel uncomfortable for both you and the client. Take some time to tweak your understanding of their background, current situation and future goals. When you are in tune with your clients, you will be able to perform better and feel more satisfied with the results. Everything needs to vibrate in harmony to have a successful relationship. Practice – There are no short-

cuts to competence in any field. This applies to guitar as well as real estate. I spent endless hours playing scales and working on songs that I wanted to understand musically. When I did a gig with pop star Bobby Vinton, I learned all of his songs before we had our first rehearsal. Later, he expressed amazement that I knew all of his tunes inside and out without the aid of sheet music. In real estate, rehearsing dialogues to answer common objections and working on your listing or buyer presentations pay off with the air of confidence you will have when you meet your prospective clients. First impressions can’t be erased, so making sure that you are ready and capable is of the utmost importance. Use your phone or a mirror to practice. Write mock contracts so that you will be able to deal with issues without hesitation. The old adage, “Practice makes perfect”, holds true in real estate as much as in music. Have the right tools – The first guitar I was given as a young musician was a Simpson Sears Silvertone from the catalogue. It was a pretty thing, made of plywood, but it was almost unplayable. When I got my hands on a decent guitar some years later, I found myself improving very quickly as a guitarist and musician. The difference was in the tool that I had in my hands. That first guitar only took me so far….I needed a proper instrument to move into the next phase of musical growth. Later in life, I found that having the right amplifier, or effect pedal, helped make the difference of whether I got the gig or not. It is the same in real estate. In order to move upward in your career, the proper tools will make all the difference. Having a good smartphone and tablet, and using a solid data management system will make life and your career function so much better. Don’t be afraid to try new technology. The winning horse might only win by a hair…and that whisker might be the tool you have that your competition doesn’t.

Find the harmony even in discord – The interesting thing about music is that seemingly discordant notes can be blended together to create a really beautiful sound if the surrounding environment of harmony is attended to. For example, a minor second interval will sound unpleasant to the ear, but only until a third note is introduced. In real estate there might be a conflict between the seller and buyer – and often is – but as the agent, when you add that third part to the equation it will make the difference. Sometimes the discord only needs the right context to smooth out the apparent conflict. Look for solutions, ways to blend the opposing interests of two different parties. Even the most outrageous discord can find a sweetener if you are creative enough to look for it. Passion will carry you through the trials – When I was first learning to play the guitar, my fingers would get sore to the point of blisters. Anyone who has tried to learn the guitar will testify to the pain that results from trying to

press down on the strings in order to make a sound. I was able to work through the blisters until they became calloused because of the driving passion I had to learn how to play the instrument. Once my fingertips hardened it became easier to finger those cheese slicer grade strings. It was only the passion to learn how to play that made it possible to get to the point, past the pain and frustration, into making music. In real estate, we find ourselves at points where the going gets tough. We may be out of listings or we can’t find buyers….or clients are indecisive. Whatever the problem, the passion for what we do will carry us through these tough times. Sales reps need to use their passion for the work in order to deal with the inevitable tough moments. It gets easier when you have your heart in your work. Find your personal style – In the world of guitar music there are a lot of directions that one can take. There is the classical discipline, popular music, world, or flamenco music. You can decide to play with a pick or with your fin-

gers…or even both. Some have chosen to follow the style of the Delta Blues, using a slide on the finger. Then there is the decision on going electric vs. acoustic. Bob Dylan made big waves with that decision at the Newport Folk Festival in the ’60s. The bottom line is that focusing on the style of music that speaks to your heart will give you the best results. In real estate, the options are many. One can specialize in a given type of home, specific neighbourhood, residential, new construction or the various options in commercial real estate. Focus on a specialty that speaks to your passion and you will reach your best potential in the business. Don’t be a jack of all trades, because that will make you a master of none. Seek your heart and follow it in this business. The beauty of real estate is that you can find so many different options to build your career that it is limitless. The key is to find your personal style. What works for you and what you love to do will make all the difference in your career.

Ari Lahdekorpi is an associate broker with Re/Max Performance Realty in Vancouver.

REM

22 REM MAY 2016

SALES COACH

Is your real estate honeymoon over? Here are five ways to stay enthusiastic and motivated to keep your business on track.

By Bruce Keith

here is a “honeymoon” period in the real estate sales business that starts the first week of every year. All salespeople are pumped up and ready to go. It’s a new year! There are new mountains to climb – new goals to be accomplished! It feels like a honeymoon for three main reasons: • January 1 brings opportunity for a new start • The past is behind you and any regrets can be forgotten • You feel invigorated and filled with hope for what lies ahead When you are in a honeymoon mindset it’s an exhilarating time. You feel inspired, your energy is high and the periodic setbacks don’t bother you. You start your day with enthusiasm. You jump out of bed every morning and you tackle everything with a vigour that says, “Bring it on – I’m ready!” Life is good and you love who you are being. Then reality arrives on the scene. It usually happens by the end of the first quarter of the year – usually at the end of March. You are then confronted with this negative thought… Wake up! Ninety days have passed and the honeymoon is over. Stop dreaming. At some point, the euphoria of the honeymoon starts to diminish. That’s just a normal part of life and you are being challenged. There are going to be ups and downs. Your earlier excitement is often replaced by thoughts from the past. Those self-doubts and self-limiting beliefs that got in the way last year start gaining power again. Does this mean your honeymoon is over? No! Are you not the person you were being for the last 90 days after all? Yes you are! You can make that honeymoon mentality be who you are all the

time. How do you keep that initial first 90-day euphoria going and be that way every day for the whole year? Here are five “honeymoon savers” that you can take on right away. 1. Know where you are right now: Draw a line in the sand and look at your current position after the first 90 days of the year. Draw up a simple chart to help you achieve that clarity. It’s called, “How Am I Doing So Far?” There are four simple steps to evaluating your current position: a) Enter your results for March b) Total up your overall results for the first 90 days c) Enter your targets so far this year from your original business plan (25 per cent) d) Compare your actual results to these targets (+ or -) so you know where you are right now No matter how these numbers turn out, you are still in a position to stay strong and keep your honeymoon alive. If you are ahead of the game, keep it up. If you are not where you want to be, you’ll need to step it up. 2. Refresh your memory – why do I want to pay the price? Time to go back to when the honeymoon period started. What were your dreams then? What were the visions and goals that you had in mind that you knew you could achieve? Pull out your personal goals list from the first of the year. Have a look and make sure these items are still at the top of your list. If you have to do some revisions, that’s quite all right. The whole point of having personal goals is to keep you inspired. By being excited about what is possible you will always be conscious of why you are prepared to “pay the price” and keep the dream alive. If your goals list is not current, it’s important to get it up to date right now. Here is a simple format to help you complete this important step. Write out two “must make happen” items for each of these three main categories: My

Health; My Family and My Financial Future. 3. The power of baby steps: Often the honeymoon mentality starts to fade when you look down the road to the distant target you are trying to accomplish. It seems so far away. It becomes intimidating and almost impossible to reach. The thought that “I’ll never get there” starts to creep in. As the metaphor says, “Don’t try to eat the whole elephant in one bite.” Stay true to the day-to-day steps built into your initial plan. Don’t falter. Keep it simple – remember the basics that are going to add up to a successful year: • Prospect every day. Do it in the morning (otherwise it won’t get done consistently). • The mornings are for lead generation, the afternoons are for lead servicing. • Set a minimum standard for daily lead generation (such as two hours and 20 contacts). Remember, it’s a minimum, not a target. • Your principal aim is to set an appointment every day. These baby steps create momentum. You can’t afford to have gaps in your conveyor belt. Make sure you are being true to your word every day. The honeymoon doesn’t work if you are in start/stop/start/stop mode. Track your results on the wall of your office on a Year at a Glance Calendar. Follow this routine five days a week. This is not optional. 4. Are you still in a honeymoon mindset? When you started off the year you began with a clean slate. You cleaned up your office, you got rid of the old cobwebs in your mind and you began with renewed enthusiasm. Have you slipped back into the old mindset from last year? To find out the answer, here are three pitfalls you must avoid: a) Following a daily schedule that looks more like last year’s than the one you started out with in January b) Falling back into the routine

of saying yes to everyone around you and not putting yourself first (this includes customers with questionable motivation or no respect for your time) c) Revisit your overall habits. Are you acting differently than you did last year? What new approaches did you take on in January? Are they still alive or have they faded and been replaced by the “same old/same old” habits? It doesn’t hurt to periodically look in the mirror to evaluate who you are being and how you are performing. If it’s not the “new you” then fix this immediately! Your habits are shaping your destiny every day. 5. Make sure you’re not flying solo: To stay in the honeymoon mode you cannot do it on your own. There’s no prize for doing it solo. Trying to do so is foolish. It may be “lonely at the top” but that doesn’t mean you have to get there on your own. There are two approaches to making sure you have great support: a) External – Get a coach. Hire someone who has already accomplished what you want to achieve. Someone who really understands the business of finding and converting leads efficiently and focuses on your strengths. Hire someone who is skilled at holding you tightly accountable. No excuses. • Surround yourself with positive people. Have you upgraded the people who influence you personally and in business? Part of doing so is to get rid of the negative

influencers that were in your life last year. Don’t forget, your income is the average of the five people you spend the most time with. b) Internal – Stay healthy. Eat healthy, get lots of sleep, limit your alcohol consumption and most of all, exercise! One of the best ways to keep your honeymoon alive is to feel good about yourself. By doing so, you will attract others to you. It’s a great way to make sure you don’t fly solo. • Stay motivated. Continue to visit your personal goals regularly. It only takes five minutes every morning to write the same goals out in a journal. This is an important part of reminding yourself of what maintaining the honeymoon will make possible. Keep the hope alive! • Stay focused. What are your top three things for the day? Every morning (or the night before) write down the three top priorities you must accomplish in the coming day – no matter what. This is not a to do list, it is a reminder of what is important. Remember Warren Buffett’s great admonition, “If you have more than three priorities, you don’t have any.” Stay in the race and keep your pace consistent. Think about the way the Boston Marathon race is run. At the start of the race everybody is enjoying their own personal “honeymoon mode”. There are hundreds of contestants jostling for position. Everyone’s energy is high Continued on page 24

Congratulations to our Canadian Award Winners. European-based premium real estate brand Engel & Völkers honored its top-performing individuals and shops that exemplify the core values of the brand through its 2015 North America Awards Program. Award recipients were announced during the annual Exchange event, hosted at the Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas. Engel & Völkers Top Producer Awards

Engel & Völkers Elite Club

Top Producing Shops (Canada)–Closed Sides and Closed Gross Commission Income – Engel & Völkers Victoria

Chairman’s Circle (Team Distinction) – Binab Group, Engel & Völkers Victoria; Piercy-LeBlanc Team, Engel & Völkers Victoria

Top Producing Advisors (Canada)–Closed Sides – Mark Evernden, Engel & Völkers Calgary; André Parisien, Engel & Völkers Tremblant; Michel Naud, Engel & Völkers Tremblant; Melissa Bradbury, Engel & Völkers Collingwood; Marie Champagne, Engel & Völkers Montréal; Sean Hummell, Engel & Völkers Tremblant; Neal Vinet, Engel & Völkers Tremblant; Stacy Bouchard-Burns, Engel & Völkers Montréal; Richard Rutkowski, Engel & Völkers Toronto Uptown; Deborah Clarke, Engel & Völkers Calgary

President’s Circle (Team Distinction)–Rachelle Starnes Team, Engel & Völkers Calgary

Top Producing Advisors (Canada)–Closed Gross Commission Income – Mark Evernden, Engel & Völkers Calgary; Jeff Fitzpatrick, Engel & Völkers Vancouver; Jean Parisien, Engel & Völkers Tremblant; Brian Danyliw, Engel & Völkers Vancouver Island; Gregg Baker, Engel & Völkers Vancouver; Michel Naud, Engel & Völkers Tremblant; Khalen Meredith, Engel & Völkers York; André Parisien, Engel & Völkers Tremblant; Max Hahne, Engel & Völkers Collingwood; Steve Lafave, Engel & Völkers Tremblant Top Producing Teams (North America)–Closed Closed Gross Commission Income – Piercy-LeBlanc Team, Engel & Völkers Victoria; Binab Group, Engel & Völkers Victoria Engel & Völkers Brand Advancement Award Brand Advancement Award (Shop-Level) – Engel & Völkers Calgary

Diamond Level – Gregg Baker, Engel & Völkers Vancouver; Brian Danyliw, Engel & Völkers Vancouver Island; Mark Evernden, Engel & Völkers Calgary; Jeff Fitzpatrick, Engel & Völkers Vancouver; Jean Parisien, Engel & Völkers Tremblant Ruby Level – Stacy Bouchard-Burns, Engel & Völkers Montréal; Melissa Bradbury, Engel & Völkers Collingwood; Chris Burns, Engel & Völkers Vancouver; Andrew Carros, Engel & Völkers Vancouver; Marie Champagne, Engel & Völkers Montréal; Max Hahne, Engel & Völkers Collingwood; Sean Hummell, Engel & Völkers Tremblant; David Hung, Engel & Völkers Vancouver; Felix Jasmin, Engel & Völkers Montréal; Stefani Konidis, Engel & Völkers York; Steven Lafave, Engel & Völkers Tremblant; Nina Margiottiello, Engel & Völkers Vancouver; Khalen Meredith, Engel & Völkers York; Andrew Moresi, Engel & Völkers Toronto Uptown; Michel Naud, Engel & Völkers Tremblant; Kim Nichols, Engel & Völkers York; André Parisien, Engel & Völkers Tremblant; Richard Rutkowski, Engel & Völkers Toronto Uptown; Tudor Tomovici, Engel & Völkers Toronto Uptown; Neal Vinet, Engel & Völkers Tremblant Emerald Level – Ania Boddy, Engel & Völkers Vancouver; Katie Burkard, Engel & Völkers Vancouver; Maria Carros, Engel & Völkers Vancouver; Glenn Feldstein, Engel & Völkers Vancouver; Sabine Karsenti, Engel & Völkers Montréal; Gaëtan Kill, Engel & Völkers Vancouver; Minnie King, Engel & Völkers York; Yslane M’Sahi, Engel & Völkers Montréal; Melissa MacKenzie, Engel & Völkers York; Sheila Morrison, Engel & Völkers Calgary; David Palmer, Engel & Völkers Vancouver; Scott Regamble, Engel & Völkers Vancouver

Engel & Völkers Canada 2 Bloor Street West, Suite 700 · Toronto · ON M4W 3RI · Phone +1 416-323-1100 evcanada.com · info@evcanada.com

24 REM MAY 2016

RECBC says licensees must report misconduct

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nder fire from politicians and the news media, The Real Estate Council of B.C. (RECBC) is reminding real estate licensees of their legal responsibility to report misconduct. The council has also published an FAQ and step-by-step guide to communicating any concerns about the actions of other licensees on its website at www.recbc.ca/complaints/duty-to-report.html. “Licensees are trained in the legislated standards of conduct for real estate professionals and are uniquely positioned to identify instances when other licensees may be violating those standards or failing to act in the best interests of their clients,” says RECBC in a news release. “By reporting misconduct and providing evidence when they observe wrongdoing, licensees can help to protect the public interest and prevent significant financial loss to consumers. As members of a self-regulated profession, reporting misconduct is not only a public service, it is a duty.” Robert Fawcett, EO RECBC says, “Over the past several weeks, we’ve heard from many licensees who are dismayed by the reports of misconduct that have been

described in the media. We know that the vast majority of licensees work diligently to provide their clients with a professional level of service, and they want to see misconduct investigated and disciplined. Our message to them today is that they have a crucial role in protecting the public. With this FAQ on how to report their concerns, we’re giving them additional tools to do their part.” RECBC created a professional standards advisor position to answer questions and concerns from licensees and members of the public. The council says in just three months it has responded to more than 1,200 licensee questions. The council also formed an independent advisory group to examine whether the current regulatory regime adequately protects consumers and the wider public interest. The group’s report is expected at the end of May. The council also has announced enhancements to its investigative and enforcement capacities and it plans to initiate a public education campaign to provide the public with practical information about real estate transacREM tions.

Honeymoon over? Continued from page 22

and everyone is determined to succeed. As the race progresses, all contestants are challenged by the possibility that their honeymoon might be over. Fatigue and lack of commitment creeps in. The vision of winning the race starts to fade and doubt starts to gain power. Inevitably the pack thins out. Slowly but surely most of the runners slip back to their original performance levels and do no better than they’ve done in the past. This doesn’t have to have to happen to you. Keep your honeymoon alive, be one of those who rigidly adheres to your plan for reaching exciting new heights of achievement. Reenergize your earlier commitment. Start with the above five steps and you will win your race! No excuses. Bruce Keith is a leading real estate coach/author/speaker (http://www.brucekeithresults.com). Like Bruce Keith Results on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/brucekeithresults) or connect with Bruce on Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/brucekeith1) REM

26 REM MAY 2016

How important is your brand? By Michel Friedman

n my 26 year career in real estate I have often pondered the issue of branding. I have worked for international brands, Canadian brands and local (Greater Toronto Area) brokerages that you might call “no-name” companies. All were successful businesses in their own way. However, when switching from one to another, the question of how important the brand is always came up. I separate branding as it relates to our real estate industry into two. One is your individual branding as a Realtor. Second is the brand or non-brand of the brokerage. In a GTA market of 42,000+ licensed Realtors and 200,000 transactions per year, it is impera-

tive that individual salespeople distinguish themselves from the rest. The best way of doing that is by creating a distinct logo, title, nickname, icon or image. I have seen many Realtors call themselves “Kings” or “Queens”. This title became so cliché that it is not a brand any longer (unless this is your real name). I also saw a “magician” and a “captain”, which when used persistently for years, created distinct recognition of the person. A slogan can also make one unique, but only if used consistently and not changed for a long time. Your own name associated with marketing materials in an area or in certain print media where readers come to “expect” to find you is good brand marketing. A slogan used consistently will also be remembered and associated with the individual. (“Sell or buy, I’m your guy.”) When I was acting as a recruiter for different offices, I heard both sides of the argument

about national franchise brands. On one hand I heard the owner/broker telling me, “I am switching to your company to save money, because I believe that I am the one solely responsible for getting the business, not the brand that I belong to.” These brokers usually leave a more expensive branded brokerage for a less expensive one. I also heard the other side of the argument, of brokers leaving the less expensive independent brokerage to go to a brand brokerage, and willing to pay more to cash in on the brand recognition by the public. I believe both are right. However, switching from one to the other will not necessarily help one get more business or save money. The individual brokers have to make personal adjustments to the change in brokerage. Switching from a brand name company to a non-brand, the Realtor may have to increase his personal marketing budget to com-

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pensate for marketing done by the branded brokerage. This individual may end up paying more per transaction and do fewer transactions because of the switch to nonbrand. There may also be a loss of preferred marketing rates that have been negotiated by brands taking advantage of their “brand power”. Switching from a non-brand to brand brokerage does not automatically increase one’s business. Here are my conclusions. Branding oneself as an individual is absolutely necessary in our industry. Be consistent and show your logo, slogan and icon everywhere. Once you’ve decided on your brand, don’t change it. A Realtor’s ability to procure the business and charge a decent commission may depend on which brand they have associated themselves with. Public perception of the brand plays an important role in our business. If the public believes it’s a discount brand or a low expectation brand, whether it’s true or not, it

may be harder to get a high-priced listing or get any listing without having to deeply discount the commission. If the brand is associated with luxury, the Realtor will have an easier time procuring that high price listing at a reasonable commission rate. To illustrate how important public perception of a brand is, did you know that the Chevy Nova was manufactured by Toyota and was sold in the U.S. for less than the Corolla? Look at where Corolla is today and where Chevy Nova is. I guess once you put on the Chevy sticker, you have immediately formed a perception. It doesn’t matter that it is really a Toyota. Broker Michel Friedman is business development and special projects manager at Forest Hill Real Estate (Signature Branch) in Toronto, where branding is one subject covered in the brokerage’s Star Agent program. 416-929-4343; email REM Mfriedman@foresthill.com

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28 REM MAY 2016

Peru’s floating homes Story and photos by Diane Slawych

n the Uros Islands of Peru, home maintenance takes on a whole new meaning. Forget replacing the roof or the furnace. The indigenous inhabitants of these islands face a much more drastic task – that of rebuilding their entire homes every few years! That’s because the dwellings and the foundation on which they are built are made of reeds – totora reeds, to be precise. The indigenous people – a mix of Quechua and Aymara – have lived on their floating islands for centuries, having moved here to escape attacks from Inca and Colla cultures. Here they found relative peace and survived by fishing and hunting. Today about 800 people inhabit roughly 50 artificial islands that extend out from the city of Puno. Without the reeds, life in the Uros islands would not exist. The tall grass-like plants, which grow in abundance in the shallows of Lake Titicaca, are collected, then bundled and dried to build the homes. To create the islands, the reeds are layered more than a metre deep. Not surprisingly, the plants are subject to decay over time and so must constantly be replaced. New layers of matting are often added above for stability. The average island measures about five square metres. It takes

about two months to build and lasts a dozen years. Islanders rely on solar power, while eco toilets replace the need for plumbing. Some of the islands also have a church, school, post office and shops. Aside from building homes, reeds are also used to make some of the furnishings such as beds and mats, and the beautiful sea-worthy gondolas. The reeds are burned for warmth and the green roots are even eaten. It wasn’t until the mid 1960s that the islands came into contact with the modern world and today many inhabitants earn money from tourism. Tour boats take visitors from the mainland to the islands, stopping for an hour or so, enough time to take pictures and get a glimpse of this unusual way of life and purchase colourful handmade textiles and reed crafted souvenirs. As you might expect, stepping on the reeds is a soft and sometimes squishy affair, a bit like walking on a giant sponge. Though life here can be precarious at times, especially in stormy weather, living on an island of reeds also has its advantages. If you ever want to get away from your neighbours or retreat to a place of total seclusion, simply pick another spot in the lake and build a REM new island.

Reed houses on one of the Uros Islands in Lake Titicaca.

Reed houses and reeds drying in the sun as seen on approach to one of the floating Uros Islands in Peru.

Houses and a boat made of reeds. The reeds grow in abundance in the shallows of Lake Titicaca.

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royallepage.ca This is not intended as an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, including a solicitation of any sales representatives or broker that is currently under contract. All offices are independently owned and operated, except those marked as “Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage”, “Royal LePage West Real Estate Services” and “Royal LePage Sussex”. Any copying, reproduction, distribution or other use of these materials is prohibited. ©2016 Brookfield Real Estate Services Manager Limited. All rights reserved.

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32 REM MAY 2016

They promised us home robots In the 1960s, we thought robots would soon be mopping floors and doing the dishes. Now we’re more focused on smart home features, including security and energy efficiency. By Yvonne Dick

ack in the mid-1960s, people imagined that homes of the future would be much different by 2016. Things home buyers thought would be standard by now included things like dishwashing robots, a floor mopping machine, automated dispensers of synthetic yet nutritional food, waterless baths and showers and a way to get from home to work without driving, via teleportation. Although the sales reps in 1966 couldn’t find homes with all of these luxuries, today at least a few of them are considered necessities by home buyers. Dishwashers have foregone the robotic arm device in favour of closed boxes that do most of the work. You have to rinse your plate sometimes and place it inside the machine, but no more scrubbing by hand and when you open that door again, your dishes are clean and dry. Sometimes they are even still warm, and you can have a nice hand warmer as you put them in the cupboard. Although it took a while for them to become popular, dishwashers were invented back in 1887 by Josephine

Cochrane and George Butters. The reality of floor cleaning machines in 2016 comes in the form of a small square or disk that glides across the floor scrubbing or sweeping. It can also be used as a vacuum for light-duty traffic. Using a system of bumpers and sensors, the floor sweeping robots are still in their infancy. They are much louder than a broom and can take up to 45 minutes to sweep or vacuum a room. Advanced models can be set to work and will go back to its charging base upon completion of the work. Not everyone likes these floor robots, so the broom and vacuum are here to stay, at least for now. The idea of meals made by machines dates as far back as the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893. It and was meant to liberate women from domestic duties. Modern-day variants on the theme include a liquid that provides a full and nutritional meal in a swallow. Synthetic food makers for home use are still a thing of the future, and with the way the human senses work, that’s probably a good thing. In a study, only 18 per cent

of people were ready to eat synthetically grown meat or live exclusively on meals you can drink. Waterless bath and shower options abound if you don’t mind using powders or gels. New modifications on the theme include a body gel, and a true cleaning job still requires soap and water and your favourite scrubbing brush. For the foreseeable future, home buyers will probably still be in the market for a nicely shaped jet or soaker tub. Although teleportation hasn’t been cracked yet, soon we will be able to have our own self-driving car. It won’t mean instant travel like the transporter beams in Star Trek, but these cars will take us home from work. Self-driving cars still need to be configured to park in a garage; however, which is one reason this is yet a work in progress. In 2016, what do people expect in the home of the future? Aside from a chauffeur or robot driven car ride, and a dishwasher that would load and put away dishes, three features remain popular to

the modern-day home buyer. Top of the list are smart home features such as voice activation, integrated appliances and security systems. Energy efficiency is also important to home buyers. Windows that adjust to the levels of sunlight, solar heating systems and geothermal heating and cooling are some emerging technologies. Architecturally different houses are popular too, from Naomi Campbell’s Spaceship House of

2013 to dome-shaped designs, stacking boxes and more. Sometimes a modern design can hide a modern innovation, such as a series of solar panels that are incorporated into a structure to appear as extra windows or built into the roof. In spite of the trend toward streamlined technology, in 50 years it’s likely that our most fundamental home chores will remain the same. REM

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34 REM MAY 2016

‘Worst place to live’ is best-kept secret Realtors in Port Alberni, B.C. says the town didn’t get a fair shake when it was ranked last in a list of Canadian communities By Jean Sorensen oneySense, a personal finance magazine, recently ranked Vancouver Island’s Port Alberni as the worst place to live in Canada. The magazine ranked the town last or near-last for liveability out of more than 200 communities. But that hasn’t stopped buyers from moving to the city and local Realtors believe that shrewd shoppers are discovering the town makes a lot of money sense. Re/Max Mid-Island Realty sales rep Lance Engstrom, who grew up in Port Alberni, says “We are the best-kept secret on the Island.” The town once had a bad rap because it, like other forest industry towns with a pulp mill, had a lingering rotten egg smell. That ended years ago, says Engstrom, who left to go to university and work in Victoria but then returned 22 years ago. He felt that no other place could offer what Port Alberni could – a comfortable and affordable home, infrastructure for family, a sense of community and great recreational facilities. Since then, he has helped more than 1,100 buyers find homes in Port Alberni. Retirees and families are snapping up deals like family homes for $225,000, downtown building lots for $50,000 and three-bedroom houses on one to two acre lots outside town for $250,000 to $350,000, Engstrom says. The area enjoys a load of amenities the forest industry dollars have brought to the city over decades of taxation. “I don’t think you can find another city that is our size that has the facilities that we do,” says broker and manager Gary Gray of Royal LePage Port Alberni – Pacific Rim Realty. “We have first-class recreational facilities, a new hospital, North Island College and great outdoors activities.”

Facilities in town include an aquatic centre (a new one is being planned), a dedicated seniors activity centre, a library, a museum, a youth soccer clubhouse, a gymnastics club house, a curling facility, an athletics hall, an ice arena, an all-weather track, numerous playing fields and a stadium, a live theatre building and a casino. The town has banks and a credit union, five major food stores including a Walmart,

“We think there is some information they (MoneySense) may have gotten wrong,” says Mike Ruttan, mayor of Port Alberni and retired high school principal who helped with facilitation of the town’s new $58 million Alberni District Senior Secondary School. The school – capable of handling 1,300 students – features a 500-seat theatre, two gymnasiums, a fitness room, a dance studio, artificial turf field and a First Nations

The Alberni Pacific Railway provides a local tourist attraction. Seen here departing the fully restored train station (vintage 1912), the 1929 Baldwin steam engine carries passengers from the waterfront to the McLean Mill National Historic Site, Canada’s only remaining operational steam-powered sawmill. (Photo: Province of British Columbia)

Families are snapping up deals like family homes for $225,000, downtown building lots for $50,000 and three-bedroom houses on one to two acre lots outside town for $250,000 to $350,000. (Photo: Jean Sorensen)

brand name outlets such as Canadian Tire, assorted fast food outlets and a barrage of boutiques, seafood restaurants and craft stores. Port Alberni has a number of festivals such as a regatta at nearby Sproat Lake (where homes can hit the $1 million to $2 million mark), the Black Powder shooting club, a Jane Austin festival, a Salmon Festival and the Thunder in the Valley drag race that occurs in the summer. The town also has a steam locomotive; a tourism attraction that runs to McLean Mill, Canada’s only operating steam-powered mill and a national historic site.

gathering space plus a youth health clinic. It offers academic as well as skills training options and is located next door to the North Island College for easy transfer for students. Ruttan is puzzled by how the magazine reported the town has only 56 days of weather over 24 degrees C. “People who live here know we can be one of the warmest places in Canada in summer,” he says. The temperatures are warm enough to support two vineyards and wineries and the area’s agriculture community, where three farmers’ markets contribute to the city’s low cost of living.

A rendering of the new $58 million high school opened in Port Alberni, the town that MoneySense Magazine rates as the worst place to live in Canada. (Photo: Province of British Columbia)

The city, Ruttan says, is fortunate to have good infrastructure such as a water system, wide streets and health care facilities. “There is a reason for that,” he says, alluding to the tax dollars that were brought into the city coffers by the forest industry. While it has declined from the major force it once was, forest industry dollars still help ease the tax burden on residents. The

town is now attempting to further diversify its tax base, including serving as a base for a new air ambulance service. Because of the slimmed down forest industry, there is good housing stock for buyers moving to the area from throughout B.C., the Prairie provinces and other parts of Canada. Continued on page 36

Welcome

Royal LePage Vision Realty!

Re/Max Vision Realty joins the Royal LePage family We are thrilled to welcome this dynamic team of more than 80 Realtors® to the Royal LePage family. Royal LePage Vision Realty have built strong relationships with home builders and homeowners alike, bringing a wealth of sales experience in new and resale homes within the Greater Toronto Area.

We are pleased to join a great Canadian company with a proven track record of providing exceptional value in the services they provide.”

Its Realtors® will enjoy a new level of service, together with the 2,000 other high-performing agents who have recently joined Royal LePage’s national network of over 16,000 sales professionals.

We see our new affiliation with Royal LePage as a means to take our innovative approach to real estate one step further.”

– Asgher Naqvi, Broker of Record Royal LePage Vision Realty, Brokerage

– Daljinder Gill, Manager Royal LePage Vision Realty, Brokerage

Congratulations to the entire team at Royal LePage Vision Realty! Partner with a leader. Join Royal LePage.

royallepage.ca/franchising Royal LePage Vision Realty, Brokerage is a real estate firm in Ontario. This is not intended as an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, including a solicitation of any sales representatives or broker that is currently under contract. All offices are independently owned and operated, except those marked as “Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage”, “Royal LePage West Real Estate Services” and “Royal LePage Sussex”. Any copying, reproduction, distribution or other use of these materials is prohibited. ©2016 Brookfield Real Estate Services Manager Limited. All rights reserved.

36 REM MAY 2016

‘Worst place to live’ Continued from page 34

Ruttan says the town has launched an active campaign to draw seniors. Retirees arriving from throughout B.C. and outside the province find they can sell the family home, find a comparable home in Port Alberni and have funds left over to bank and enjoy. New retirement condos are going up in town. Carolyn Sheare, managing broker at Re/Max Mid-Island Realty, moved from Ucluelet on the west coast to Port Alberni because the educational facilities better suited her family. She agrees that retirees are drawn to Port Alberni because of low house prices and lifestyle opportunities. “There is a huge variety of (single family) homes available and you can get into a nice home in the low $200,000s – lower than that if you are willing to put in some sweat equity.” Two towns were joined together in 1967, with the older section of Port Alberni contain-

Retirees arriving from throughout B.C. and outside the province find they can sell the family home, find a comparable home in Port Alberni and have funds left over to bank and enjoy. ing areas such as China Creek, which has traditional houses reflecting its early 20th century roots. The newer portion is where subdivisions co-exist with malls. The surrounding area offers acreage homes, and 10 km from town is Sproat Lake, a lake much like those in B.C.’s Okanagan, which has drawn professionals building multi-million homes. Less expensive building lots also exist. Gray, who was born and raised in Port Alberni and is a past president of the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board, says one trend he sees is that tradespersons who work out of town in northern B.C. or in Alberta’s oil

field are leaving their families in an affordable town with a full range of amenities and commute back and forth to work. Condos can start at as low as $127,000 and smaller homes as low as $155,000. Port Alberni has a small air commuter service to Vancouver, but nearby airports such as Nanaimo have larger airports. BC Ferries also provides service between Nanaimo and Vancouver. There is also the advantage of living a short commute to two nearby beach communities without paying the higher priced housing. “The retirees are really attracted to the environment,”

Gray says. Not only is housing affordable, but Port Alberni’s plethora of established recreational facilities are a boon. The town also features a deep sea port (Alberni Inlet) and marina for avid boaters and anglers. It’s close to three provincial parks and offers more than 100 miles of hiking trails. Denis Sauve, councillor and a retired career RCMP officer, disputes figures that Port Alberni has a high crime rate. Sauve, who policed in the city before retiring, says, “My experience is that we are no different from any other community. Everyone has issues with drugs and issues with alcohol – that is part of life.”

He is sceptical of crime statistics as it is widely recognized that police forces may report statistics on crime differently, he says. Port Alberni has a strong sense of volunteerism and a number of community crime prevention programs such as a citizen’s patrols. “’I don’t think anyone feels unsafe on the street here,” he says, adding that the crime statistics “do not paint the right picture of the community.” Sauve has extensive experience in risk assessment. He led a year-long project with a special task force assembled in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks to assess potential threats to Canada and was selected as the non-commissioned officer in charge of the Canadian AntiFraud Centre’s Analytical Team based in Ottawa. When the RCMP asked him where he wanted his last posting, Sauve opted to stay in Port Alberni. He hasn’t changed his mind since that day. “We are really a hidden gem,” he says. REM

M O S T PRODUCTIVE

REAL ESTATE NETWORK •

MOST

RECOGNIZED

NAME IN REAL ESTATE • MOST SHARE OF VOICE IN NATIONAL TV ADVERTISING • CONSECUTIVELY RANKED THE #1 REAL ESTATE BRAND IN THE FRANCHISE 500 SURVEY • CONNECTING OVER 50K SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWERS ACROSS 18 CHANNELS • NETWORK OF 100,000+ OF THE MOST PRODUCTIVE REALTORS®, OVER 19K IN CANADA • GLOBAL INFLUENCE WITH PRESENCE IN ALMOST 100 COUNTRIES WORLDWIDE • ENGAGING CONSUMERS WITH NEARLY 4000 SOCIAL MEDIA MENTIONS • RE/MAX CARES, DONATING ALMOST $200 MILLION TO CHILDREN’S MIRACLE NETWORK & CANADIAN BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION • MOBILE MINDED: INCREASED TRAFFIC 50X IN PAST 5 YEARS • DOMINATING MEDIA WITH OVER 1 BILLION IMPRESSIONS • MORE OFFICES WORLDWIDE THAN ANY OTHER BRAND • REMAX.CA IS HOME TO

27M UNIQUE VISITORS

• MOST PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATIONS • MOST COUNTRIES SERVED • CREATING GLOBAL CONVERSATIONS IN 40+ LANGUAGES • CANADA’S REAL ESTATE BRAND WITH 97% UNAIDED BRAND AWARENESS • DRIVING CHANGE THROUGH $25M ANNUAL BRAND INVESTMENT • MOST VISITED REAL ESTATE FRANCHISE WEBSITE • OVER 35 YEARS OF SHAPING THE CANADIAN REAL ESTATE LANDSCAPE • LEAD BY SWANEPOEL POWER 200’S AND TOP CANADIAN WOMEN • 16.1 AVERAGE ENDS PER AGENT • RE/MAX AGENTS SELL MORE REAL ESTATE THAN ANY OTHER CANADIAN BRAND.

GROW WITH THOSE WHO KNOW 1. remax.net - internal data 2015, 2. remax.net - MMR Strategy Group study of unaided awareness, 3. remax.net - ACNeilsen 2014, 4. Past 4 Years, ranked number 1 in 13 of the past 17 years, 5. Internal data as of January 31 2016, 6. RE/MAX network as of January 31, 2016, 7. Internal data as of January 31 2016, 8. comscore+googleanalytics+sysomos Nov 2015, 9. As of December 31 2015, 10. ComScore (data sourced from 2010-2015), 11. Combining out of home, radio, digital, social and niche advertising impressions, as measured December 31 2015, 12. Internal data as of January 31 2016, 13. Google Analytics, ComScore - 2015, 14. remax.net - internal data 2015, 15. remax.net - internal data 2015, 16. remax.ca/global.remax.ca, 17. MMR Strategy Group - aided awareness study - remax.net, 18. ACNielsen 2014 data, 19. remax.net - comscore data, 20. Internal data as of January 31 2016, 21. Pamela is ranked 12th, but is the top Canadian on the list, 22. Report based on closed MLS transactions in 2013. Real Trends is an unbiased, independent third party, 23. remax.net - MMR Strategy Group study of real estate buyers and sellers

38 REM MAY 2016

Help your clients with mortgage shopping If your clients are relying on you, even just informally, to help them with their mortgage decisions, make sure you completely understand the advice you are giving.

By Martin Rumack

y definition, real estate professionals are on the front line of the homebuying process with their clients. They are called upon to explain the process, to find them the right home and then – alongside the involved lawyers – to help shepherd them through the actual legal home-buying process. These roles are generally governed by the written contract between the agent and his or her client. However, real estate agents may also be an informal source of information and guidance to their clients on related topics as well. Advising on mortgages is one common example. A client may depend on his or her agent to assist with finding the right mortgage. This is an important role, because the client’s commitment to the right (or wrong) mortgage is one that can last for years and can have a serious impact on his or her finances – and by extension on their ability to meet their other obligations and to maintain a suitable quality of life. For most buyers, the mortgage takes up a huge portion of their financial “‘landscape”’. This is why it’s important for salespeople to understand the complexities of mortgages and to have a good grasp of the factors and nuances that they may be asked about by clients. (And sometimes the worst scenario is to have a client who doesn’t even know the right questions to ask.) Whether it’s for a new purchase or re-financing – and whether the home is new, old, residential, recreational, investment, retail, commercial or industrial – there are

various issues that home-buying clients need to reflect on when deciding between financial institutions and private lenders. What are some of the key factors that your clients should be looking for? • the type of mortgage (closed, fully open or partially open) • the interest rate (fixed or variable) • the term of the mortgage • the mortgage’s amortization period. As a quick aside, it should be noted that the distinction between the mortgage’s term and its amortization period can be difficult for consumers to grasp. Simply put: The mortgage term is the period of time that a borrower is committed to a specific lender, under the particular provisions of the mortgage that have been agreed to (the document sets out the agreed interest rate and terms for that period). Usually the term of a typical residential mortgage is somewhere between one and five years. In contrast, the mortgage amortization period is the lengthier period of time it will take the borrower to pay off the mortgage entirely, calculated using the entire amount borrowed, applying a fixed interest rate and allowing for only the minimum required payments. Note that to be eligible for Canada Mortgage and Housing

Corp. (CMHC) insurance, the mortgage amortization period must not exceed the current maximum of 25 years. If no CMHC insurance is required, the amortization might be as long as 40 years. Prepayment penalties: One of the other factors to consider when informally advising clients on their mortgage shopping relates to penalties. There will likely be a penalty for paying off the mortgage earlier than at the end of the original term (unless the mortgage is fully open). The borrower needs to ask the lender to show how much it will cost to pay off the mortgage before the maturity date. The standard penalty is usually based on the greater of a sum equivalent to three months’ interest on the balance being paid out before maturity, or the interest rate differential. The interest rate differential is calculated on the difference between the interest rate the borrower is paying for their existing mortgage and the then-current rate being charged for this type of mortgage product at the time the borrower wishes to make either a partial pre-payment or else discharge the mortgage completely. Ideally the mortgage will include a provision for some prepayment that does not incur a penalty. This type of mortgage clause allows the borrower to prepay a certain percentage of the original principal annually. The

If you are a real estate professional who is being asked for information and advice from a home-buying client, beware!

mortgage may also be assumable or portable, which gives the borrower the most flexibility. Renewal: Another key consideration relates to the nature of the terms and conditions that may be offered by the lender upon mortgage renewal or when re-negotiating during the current term (for example, if after some period of living in the home the borrower needs to increase the principal amount borrowed). This should involve the borrower re-evaluating his or her needs and capacities, including: the ease or difficulty with which existing mortgage payments have been made, in the context of the borrowers’ overall household budget and other financial obligations; • whether the borrower has other, higher-interest debts to consolidate into the mortgage agreement; • whether the borrower would prefer to change the payment amount or frequency on any new/renewed mortgage; and • whether the borrower would like the flexibility of added prepayments as an option. Upon renewal or renegotiation, the borrower should also ask the lender whether, as an existing

client, they qualify for any special or discounted rates. Remember: Mortgage renewal is only an option; the borrower is not obliged to stick with the same lender after the initial mortgage term ends. You can always shop around for a better rate or a better term with a different lender. Mortgage shopping has its complexities. If you are a real estate professional who is being asked for information and advice from a home-buying client, beware! It’s important that the client gets the proper information – ideally from an independent professional advisor – because the decision to commit to a mortgage is financially profound and longlasting. So if your clients are relying on you, even just informally, to help them make this decision, make sure you completely understand the advice you are giving. Toronto lawyer Martin Rumack’s practice areas include real estate law, corporate and commercial law, wills, estates, powers of attorney and family law. He is co-author of Legal Responsibilities of Real Estate Agents, 3rd Edition, available at the TREB bookstore. www.martinrumack.com REM

THE POWER OF BLUE OWNER PROFI LE NAME:

Evan DeBrincat

OCCUPATION

Founding Owner, C oldwell Banker Field stone Realty MY COMMUN ITY: Georget own, Ontario WHY I DO WHA T I DO: I hav e always had a pass ion for real estate YEAR I ENTERE D REAL ESTATE : 1989 :

YEAR I AFFILIAT

ED WITH THE CO

LDWELL BANKE

R® NETWORK:

2013 uilding things on th e family farm MY BIGGEST AC COMPLISHMEN T: Steadily gr owing my full servic business by attracti e real estate ng high performing people MY LIFE’S FON

DEST MEMORY

WHY I AFFILIAT

ED WITH THE CO

LDWEL

L BANKER SYST EM: The supp I received—from bo ort th fellow brokers an d the Coldwell Banke made all the differen r system— ce to me

My family’s been in the real estate business since the time of Napoleon. I’m Evan DeBrincat and my family founded the ﬁrst real estate company in my native Malta many generations ago. So you could say real estate is in my blood.

I was the ﬁrst to open a Coldwell Banker franchise in the Georgetown market. I chose to afﬁliate with the Coldwell Banker system because of the resources they provide —resources designed to help us grow our business. I’m proud to be a Coldwell Banker Broker/Owner. Evan DeBrincat, Broker/Owner Coldwell Banker Fieldstone Realty Georgetown, ON

To discuss franchising opportunities, contact: Andy Puthon President Mark Lindsey Regional VP Franchise Sales mark.lindsey@coldwellbanker.ca | 800.268.9599 coldwellbanker.ca/franchising

© 2016 Coldwell Banker LLC. All rights reserved. Each ofﬁce is independently owned and operated. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker LLC. Each sales representative and broker is responsible for complying with any consumer disclosure laws or regulations, as well as applicable Real Estate Association rules and codes of conduct.

40 REM MAY 2016

What’s

New New ‘landlording’ in-class course offered Toronto real estate broker Christopher Seepe has created Landlording in Ontario, a 42hour in-class course for would-be and first-time investors, Realtors who are unfamiliar with commercial investment properties, and existing small portfolio real estate investors looking to increase their property value and maximize their return on investment. “‘Landlording’ isn’t a verb but it ought to be,” says Seepe. “It’s everything from finding an income-generating property and managing its financial viability to protecting the landlord against tenant abuse and government bias, setting up legal and accounting structures, embracing the power of digital management and extracting value to finance the next property acquisition.” The course includes more than 20 digital tools to manage and make better-informed investment and property management decisions including a highly refined, proprietary investment analysis spreadsheet; a robust rental application form and agreement; Seepe’s list of important commercial investment APS clauses; and more, he says. The class, limited to 18 students, features “significant individual hands-on personal computer time working with the spreadsheet, analyzing many current real-life “what-if” scenarios to determine financial viability (money in your pocket),

prospects of financing an acquisition with today’s very tough lenders and implications when refinancing later at a higher interest rate,” Seepe says. Other topics include whether to be a landlord, understanding what capitalization (cap) rate is and isn’t, getting past the financing clause, avoiding the eminent danger of over-leveraged properties, empowering technology to maintain a fully functioning one-person operation, understanding MPAC’s new multi-residential tax assessment methodology, structuring thousands of property-related digital and paper file folders, dealing with troublesome tenants and the Landlord-Tenant Board, collecting rents fast with no NSFs, creative alternatives when obstacles arise in traditional financing, uncommon methods to increase equity and value and extracting value to finance the next property. Seepe is a commercial real estate broker of record and was president of the Landlords Association of Durham for years. He is also an author and speaker and has written many articles for REM. He owns several multiunit rental properties. For information: www.landlordingcourse.ca

National conference series heads to Vancouver During the last six years, NEXTGENre - A Bar Camp Experience has brought together more than 2,500 real estate professionals and more than 150 facilitators and speakers. “This is the only national real estate conference of its kind that is ‘brand agnostic’, meaning that there is no single real estate brand that is sponsoring this event,” says co-founder Kelly Skar. The first of this year’s events recently took place in Calgary. The next one will be in Burnaby, B.C. on May 31 and two more will follow later in the year in Ontario. “We care for the success of the industry and its agents first and foremost and we believe we have something truly authentic and relevant to offer,” says

Virginia Munden, co-founder. “Our goal is to make you resilient in any marketplace and thrive with success. Our networking encourages collaboration and co-operation in a forum through peer-sharing.” The event offers 31 “think tank sessions” throughout the day with topics including technology, social media, business, mobile, digital, brand, leadership, content marketing, lead generation, communication and philanthropy. “We are currently selecting corporate and independent boutique brands to be a part of this authentic un-conference,” says Munden. For information: http://tinyurl.com/hpcbv7m

Managing the moving process in a single app A new startup is aiming to help people manage the moving process in a single app. MoveSnap acts like a personal moving concierge, guiding you step-by-step through everything that needs to be done, the company says. It covers everything from transferring home services such as hydro, gas, cable and Internet, to getting a new driver’s license, to connecting clients with local charities that will pick up items clients might not want to move to the new home. For each task, the app tells the user how to best get things done quickly and save time. The service also makes life easier for real estate salespeople by helping them address the often neglected post-deal experience, the company says. It replaces checklists or moving packages that agents might be using now, while allowing the agent and their brand to stay virtually engaged with the client well after the deal is signed. Toronto-based Re/Max Ultimate recently partnered with MoveSnap to help their clients avoid moving-related headaches. Tim Syrianos, broker/owner of Re/Max Ultimate, says he saw an opportunity to add value for his agents with the app. Syrianos also sees automating the moving process with

MoveSnap acts like a personal moving concierge, the company says.

MoveSnap as a way to increase the productivity of his agents and reduce the time they spend researching and answering moving-related questions, the company says. “Our business partners are our Realtors. Embracing the best technology to assist them to best represent their clients and be more efficient and productive is always our focus,” says Syrianos. Reuven Gorsht says he cofounded MoveSnap after having a nightmarish moving experience himself. “Buying a home is really exciting, but once reality sets in that you’ll have to move in a few weeks, that joy quickly turns into stress and frustration,” he says. “Moving is the worst part of the real estate transaction and is the last impression the client has.” He says for agents who add the app to their arsenal of tools, the outcomes can mean happier clients, who in turn, are happy to recommend the agent to their friends and family. For information: movesnap.com/realtor

Equifax Canada and Teranet announce strategic partnership Equifax Canada and Teranet Enterprises have entered into a strategic partnership in order to deliver property and real estate secured lending insights on Canadian consumers. Bill Johnston, vice president, data and analytics at Equifax Canada says, “Partnering with Teranet enables us to shape data into solutions to help meet that need. Providing deeper insights

can help our customers make more informed decisions, which ultimately benefits Canadian consumers seeking credit.” Drew Doherty, director of marketing and product development at Teranet, adds: “These data-rich solutions can be used by financial institutions to inform and adjust their strategies and underwriting guidelines while aligning solutions to meet the evolving needs of the Canadian consumer.” Equifax says it “organizes, assimilates and analyzes data on more than 800 million consumers and more than 88 million businesses worldwide, and its databases include employee data contributed from more than 5,000 employers.” Its headquarters are in Atlanta, Ga. In Ontario, Teranet is the exclusive provider of online property search and registration. Teranet developed, owns and operates the Ontario Electronic Land Registration System. In Manitoba, it owns and operates The Property Registry (TPR), offering land and personal property security registration and search services. For more information: www.teranet.ca

Century 21 giving away 40,000 Air Miles Century 21 Canada is celebrating its 40th anniversary by holding a contest. Consumers can enter to win one of four prizes of 10,000 Air Miles. To enter and for complete contest details, terms and conditions, visit c21.ca/celebrate before REM April 29.

CREA congratulates this year’s award winners 2016 AE Network Award of Excellence

Left to right: Gary Simonsen, CEO, CREA; Bill Madder, CEO, ASR; Lynette Keyowski, Chair AE Committee, CREA (Executive Director, Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board)

Canadian Commercial Network of REALTORS® Merit Award

Left to right: Don Patterson, Chair, CREA Commercial Committee;

Stewart Elston, Winnipeg REALTORS® Association; Stephen Sherlock, Winnipeg REALTORS® Association

These awards are in recognition of dedicated leadership, professionalism, commitment and contribution to the REALTOR® community and association management. March 19, 2016 Trademarks are owned or controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA (REALTOR®) and/or the quality of services they provide (MLS®).

42 REM MAY 2016

Achieve productivity without burning out Here’s a single move that, if you do it consistently, can multiply your productivity by 10

By Dan LeFave

here is a single move that, if you do it consistently, can multiply your productivity by 10 and allow you to reclaim the free time you once had. Productivity isn’t a result of hard work, it’s a consequence of doing certain things consistently. What could you possibly do that would multiply your productivity by 10? Studies have shown that the most valuable and rarest form of

energy is our willpower. We have the choice to exert ourselves more or less to achieve something we want. Willpower is the inner mind game. But what’s the outer action that causes the idea you imagined to become reality? It is constant, spaced repetition with intention. Repetition is the master! So the rarest and most valuable form of action is constant, spaced repetition with intention. This is something that humans can do but other animals can’t. Our most valuable state of mind is that of awareness. When we are more aware, we can broaden our perspective and see our lives through a different lens and perceive more than just what’s going on in the present. As we develop greater understanding of ourselves, our awareness will generate its own momentum. My research has proven that a person who has great success

We can help you market your company’s brand to Canadian real estate professionals

Find out how we can deliver your message to an audience of Canadian real estate professionals in print and online. Just ask us how. Amanda Rock, Director of Sales and Advertising amanda@remonline.com | 416-425-3504 xx1

has great psychological and spiritual understanding. We’ve discovered that most of our decisions are unconscious and automatic. They are based on thought patterns that were created at a young age that we crystallized over time with our habits. We have the ability to change our habits by using our willpower and practicing intentions with constant, spaced repetition. Now, you can either practice repetition physically in your environment or you can do it in your mind. The impact is the same! Surprised? You can visualize something you want over and over again and over time it will come into your life. The greatest thinkers and leaders of our time agreed that we become what we think about the most. Therefore, visualizing consistently is one of the easiest ways to bring something into your life rapidly and accurately. The other way is through lots of struggle and toil. Now back to my point at the beginning about the single best action you could take on a consistent basis that will positively change your productivity and your business for the long-term. The practice that is consistent and notable amongst leaders such as Tony Robbins, Oprah Winfrey and Richard Branson, is to establish a physical and mental ritual that you can practice in order to crystallize patterns for success and establish “muscle memory” over time. You must “have it in habit in order to have it,” because habits shape your character and your character shapes your destiny. If you’re not doing something in your life every day or at least on a consistent basis, then you don’t have it habitually in your mental muscle memory. If you do it habitually, you “own it” and then it’s yours to expand and grow. So the big secret that’s a common thread amongst all great leaders is a morning success ritual. If you do it consistently, you will have more time, more energy and more money than ever before.

The first 60-90 minutes of your day sets you up for success or failure throughout your day. When you create a consistent daily pattern of energizing your body, your mind and your potential, you will possess the endurance and the willpower to overcome any challenge and perform better than anyone else who regularly hits the snooze button. Once you have a morning success ritual under your belt, it will crystallize into a long-term habit and eventually your destiny will be brighter and more controllable. Better still, you will say yes to your day and never hit snooze again. The way we are approaching this new pattern is to create a system with the end in mind, so that down the road you will realize all of your efforts. The first 60-90 minutes of your day sets you up for success or failure throughout your day. If you want great success, you’ll want to create a personal success ritual that will allow for your centeredness, optimal health and strength. You want to be able to wilfully direct your attention any which way you want it to go. You want to be able to sustain a high level of energy throughout your day and particularly into the mid-afternoon where coffee and chocolate is the “go-to” source for a spike of energy that ends being a sugar or adrenaline crash. It’s not sustainable. Put your focus on only doing things that you really like and that add value for you. You need

to take care of yourself first before doing anything for anyone else, so that you’re mentally and physically prepared for the challenges you’ll come up against throughout your day. Start your day with a relaxing and rejuvenating meditation, some exercise and choosing how you would like your day to unfold with powerful intentions. Your morning ritual will ensure that you will be super productive in all areas of your life. Nurturing yourself makes you feel more powerful, attractive, magnetic, self-confident and proactive. After many years of research and testing, I’ve put together a five-minute video on the way to create and plan your own morning success ritual. Watch it at www.danlefave.com/productivity so you too can have more money and more energy and reclaim the free time you once had to do the things you love the most. Dan LeFave is the co-author of Stepping Stones to Success and the founder of a Waking Up Productive — 12 Proven Steps to Multiply Your Productivity Without Costing You More Time and Energy. With over 17 years of experience in telecom and commercial real estate, he teaches seasoned entrepreneurs how to cultivate accurate thinking so that their success inevitable. He says, “You can have excuses or results, but you can’t have both at the same time.” www.danleREM fave.com

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44 REM MAY 2016

From procrastination to productivity Deal with self-limiting beliefs that stifle your confidence, that make you afraid of success, that make you believe there is never enough money and that make you believe that prospecting is begging. By Maya Bailey

f you are currently suffering from procrastination, let’s explore why and what you can do about it. You don’t love what you do and you’re not excited about it. If you are not eager to work, it can be because you’re thinking about the money you don’t have and the money that you need to make. The need to make money only appeals to your prefrontal cortex, not your heart. This does not give you a strong enough motivation to get you to do the things you need to do

in a timely manner. In addition, when you’re desperate to make money, you’re sending out a negative vibration of scarcity. What you get back is what you send out – more scarcity. Then you’re in a vicious circle. You need to do whatever you can to love your business, to get excited about helping people and release any mental blocks that get in the way. The sooner you do that the sooner your business will grow. If you’re asking yourself, “Why am I not excited about my business,” the answer is simple. You have self-limiting beliefs that stifle your confidence, that make you afraid of success, that

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make you believe there is never enough money and that make you believe that prospecting is begging. Here are the most common selflimiting beliefs that people have. Look at these and ask yourself if any of these ring true. • I’m not good enough • I need to be perfect to be okay • I’m not worthy • I need to push myself to succeed • I don’t have what it takes to succeed Remember: these are not facts, they are just beliefs and beliefs can be changed. Also remember that you may not feel these 100 per cent of the time, you may only feel them one per cent of the time, but nevertheless they need to be checked. Here’s the good news. It doesn’t matter how many self-limiting beliefs you have. They were installed in your subconscious mind when you were growing up and they are not the truth about who you are. Therefore they can be changed. It’s not your fault the selflimiting beliefs are in there in the first place, but it is your responsibility to release them and reprogram them instead of carrying them around as extra baggage as you go through your life. Here are the most common self-limiting beliefs about success: • Being successful means working long hard hours, struggling and sacrifice • Being successful means I won’t have balance in my life • Being successful means that people will be jealous of me • If I am successful, I’ll lose my core identity • If I am successful, I will be overwhelmed Can you understand how this connects to procrastination? Obviously, if you are afraid of success and you have these beliefs about what success does to you, then doesn’t it make sense to procrastinate? When you procrastinate, you

are sabotaging your success. Consciously, you want to overcome your procrastination, but subconsciously, these beliefs are really running the show. Here are some common selflimiting beliefs about money: • There is never enough money • I don’t deserve to have money • Rich people are greedy • Money is the root of all evil The problem is they’re not true. We don’t live in the universe of scarcity; we live in a universe of abundance. If you believe that there is never enough money, then you will create a life in which there is never enough money. Is that what you want to do or would you rather believe in abundance and thereby attract abundance to you? Let’s take the belief that rich people are greedy. If you really believe that, then your subconscious mind would be working against you because it does not want you to become a wealthy person. From the subconscious mind’s perspective, you being a wealthy person would make you a bad person. Here are some self-limiting beliefs about prospecting. • I’m bothering people • I will be rejected • People will think that I’m a “pushy salesperson” • Prospecting is begging. If your old belief is “I’m bothering people”, then your empowered belief would be, “I am helping people.” If your old belief is, “If I’m successful, I’ll be overwhelmed,” then your empowered belief would be, “I create success by working smarter, not harder.” What is the way out? Get some help to reprogram your subconscious mind. You won’t believe how good you feel when you release these old outdated beliefs. In mindset coaching, we go far beyond that. We not only find out what self-limiting beliefs you have, but we find out about the origin of them in your childhood. Then we

question whether those beliefs are currently helping you or hurting you and most of time you’ll find out that they’re hurting you. I was working with a client recently, let me call her Nancy. In one of our coaching sessions, she admitted to me that she felt very complacent about her business. When I asked her to tell me more, she said that she really wants to enjoy her life and not work very much. She went on to say that her real goal is to make $100,000 each year, but that she’s been struggling to try to make $250,000 a year. I asked her, “Why the difference”? She was honest with me in explaining that other people expected her to make $250,000 a year like her broker, her mentor and her friends. They all told her that she needed to “live up to her full potential.” The truth of the situation was that she really just wanted to have balance in her life and not have to work very hard. I assured her that if she kept struggling to earn income that wasn’t really her ideal, then she wouldn’t be able to succeed. Your goal and your definition of success need to be uniquely your own. If you are doing it for any reason other than because you want to, it won’t work and you will create complacency, struggle and procrastination. You could have the right mindset, and the right action steps, but still be sabotaging yourself by not attending to your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs. The trick is to find the balance in your life that works for you. Here’s a tip: if you have moments of joy throughout your day, then you’re probably on the right track. Maya Bailey, Ph.D. is a master business coach who specializes in teaching her clients how to double and triple their incomes by creating their own success blueprint. She works with coaches, consultants, real estate agents and success minded professionals who want to increase their clients in 90 days or less. www.90daystoREM moreclients.com

Celebrate With Us! Tuesday, May 17, 2016

A Day for All Canadians to Celebrate the Benefits of Home Ownership National Real Estate Day

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46 REM MAY 2016

Real estate slogans you never asked for By Dan St. Yves

Due to our fantastic growth and our new facility and training program at the Central Office, we welcome new and seasoned Agents to meet with Jeffrey Wagman to hear about our exciting programs.

Forest Hill Real Estate, a name for ALL of Toronto.

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Salesperson

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othing sells like a great slogan, or at least that’s what marketing and branding professionals suggest. But what if you’re just not all that prolific with verse, or you’re non-creative when it comes to crafty comments? How will you stand out in your field without a witty slogan to call your own? Happily, I’m here to help. Or at least offer suggestions you may just want to slowly back away from. Whatever, they’re here for the taking. And they’re conveniently broken down into categories, wherever you fit into the real estate sales spectrum. For individual agents (it helps if you happen to have the same name that is in the slogan, but how much could it cost to change yours, if you like one of these?): “Get Packin’ With Mackin!” (Also handy if you happen to own a gun and tackle store.) “I Can Sell, Like A Gazelle!” (Wow. This rhyming thing is harder than I thought it would be.) “I’ll Sell Your Home, Call ‘Quick-Sale Jerome’!” (Hey, that one isn’t half bad!) “I’ve Got Buyers For Your Castle, Call Me, Basil Jastle!” (That guy sounds like a lesserknown member of the extended royal family.) For commercial Realtors: “If You Need Space For Leasing, Our Services Are Never Ceasing!” (tireless – who doesn’t like that in their agent/client relationship?) “Want Office Space To Rent? Call Bent & Dent!” (also handy for a damaged goods liquidator business.) Real estate teams: “We Want Your Business, Call Marty & Luke, For Shizness!” (artistic license with the street cred use.) “Need More Space For Your Cotton Batting? We’re The Knights, In White Satin!” (Okay, I’ll admit the first half is a stretch,

but that last half could be a song title!) “Upgrade Your Dwelling, With Heath, Hart & Schmelling!” (Man, all kidding aside, some of these are really gold.) “We’ll Sell Your Pad, Call Pel, Mel, & Brad!” (Yowza! I should have trademarked that one!) “When You Gotta Leave Your Cave, Hire Wally, Ringo & Dave!” Real estate agencies: “If A Relocation Has You At That Stage, Use Our Agents At Loyal RePage!” “Mansions or Shacks, Call ReLax, and Packs!” (Grammar was never really my strong suit.) “If Your Domicile Is Getting Danker, Call WoldCell Kanber!” (If you just move a few letters around, it may look more familiar.) “Marital Split Or Just Got

Married? We’re Your Pick – Splits & Joiners!” (That was also the name of Abraham Lincoln’s side gig when he did woodwork.) Well, there you have it. Upon closer observation, none of those may be suitable for use, unless you did a quick Google search ahead of trying one on for size and ensured that no one else was already using one of these suggestions. Or, if you’re level-headed and far more competent at coming up with slogans than I apparently ever was. Humour columnist and author Dan St. Yves was licensed with Royal LePage Kelowna for 11 years. Check out his website at www.nonsenseandstuff.com, or contact him at danst.yves@hotmail.com. REM

Millennials say owning a home is attainable

anadian millennials are optimistic about the future, including their homeownership prospects, according to a new poll by Re/Max. The survey, conducted by Leger, found that 78.5 per cent of Canadians 1834 agree that owning a home they love is attainable. In all provinces, they agree that homeownership is attainable, despite price appreciation in cities like Toronto and Vancouver, says Re/Max. The survey also found that 81.6 per cent of Canadians 18-34 agree that finding a good job in their field is attainable, demonstrating overall optimism about their future. While millennials are optimistic about homeownership, many expect help in order to make their dreams a reality. Of Canadians 18-34 who are considering buying a home, 37 per cent expect help with their down payment from a family member or friend. Of those who are expecting help, 60 per cent anticipate that it will come from their parents. “The older generation has seen significant appreciation in the value of their homes, while the younger generation is entering the

market at a higher price point,” says Gurinder Sandhu, EVP, Re/Max Integra Ontario-Atlantic Canada Region. “This means firsttime buyers in Canada’s higherpriced markets often need a little help, which many parents are in a position to offer.” Unsurprisingly given the higher home prices in these regions, prospective buyers in all age demographics in British Columbia are most likely to expect help, followed by those in Ontario. The survey also found that when asked about their financial priorities, 68.2 per cent of Canadians 18-34 agree that saving for a down payment is a priority and 78.4 per cent agree that saving for retirement is a priority. “We’ve found that for many young Canadians, homeownership is an important milestone that they are actively working toward,” says Elton Ash, regional EVP, Re/Max of Western Canada. “Furthermore, while Canadians continue to value and aspire to homeownership, they are not doing so at the expense of other financial considerations, such as retirement savings.” REM

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Voting instructions were emailed by Computershare on April 13. If you have trouble finding the email containing your control number or logging in to vote, please contact Computershare toll free at 1-866-593-4637, mentioning that you are a voter in the Real Estate Council of Ontario election. Dedicated call centre staff at Computershare are available to assist you. Voting closes at 4:30 p.m. on May 5.

48 REM MAY 2016

The last-time seller You’ve heard of first-time buyers. Let me tell you about a last-time seller.

By Tina Plett

Forest Hill Real Estate Inc. Central Office, strategically located at 1911 Avenue Road is looking to hire an Office Manager. This office is newly reconstructed with all the latest in technology. We are looking for a Manager to work well with our established and new Agents as well as run a recruiting and training program for the office. Applicants who feel they have what it takes can send their resume to jwagman@foresthill.com and jaybleiweis@foresthill.com

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he had bought and sold several properties in her lifetime. This time, it was different. Perhaps the biggest move was coming from overseas to Manitoba, Canada. She recalls the move up to Thompson and back – that sale was a nightmare. Then there was the time she moved alone from the country into town, where she had felt very pressured by her agent. She would choose an agent carefully this time. This was the last time. The Realtor arrived on time at the assisted living facility that was now her home. This particular morning however, as a result of pain and stiffness, it was taking awhile for the health care aid to get her dressed. As a child, she had been taught to be a gracious hostess. She had entertained many people in her own home. Proper etiquette was something she expected of herself. This day, she wasn’t able to greet the Realtor at the door. She wouldn’t even be able to offer her a cup of tea. As she made her way from the bedroom to the living room, she looked up from the wheelchair to meet her Realtor for the first time. She felt like she already knew her through her writings. They had enjoyed several telephone conversations over the past few weeks. “You are a beautiful woman,” she said as her hands went up to sweep the fly-away hair from her face. Her ponytail was loose and she had not been able to groom

her hair in a while. She was self-conscious about her dishevelled appearance. The woman she saw in the mirror that morning was quite different from the impeccably groomed style she had once presented. Gone were the days of elaborate gowns and fancy hats. She had a large collection of dramatic hats. Those hats displayed her pride in her English heritage. This day her gown was a robe. This aging lady was clearly a woman of class and elegance. The robe and wheelchair did not disguise her beauty. In her distinct English accent, she asked the agent a lot of questions. They viewed properties on the laptop together and she became well informed of the market value of the home that she had been forced to leave. It was not as high as she had hoped, but she made the choice to list her property. She was not at home to witness the for sale sign go up on her property. Some of her belongings were being packed and moved into the garage. There were family heirlooms and antiques that would not be following her into her next home. She had an appreciation for beautiful things. What would become of all these things, she wondered. The month that followed was challenging. Since the death of her husband she had been a very independent woman. She didn’t like to ask for help. Now this unrelenting pain had her at the mercy of others. She said goodbye to the small room in the villa and was transported back to the hospital. She worried about how her daughters would handle all the arrangements of the move. These beautiful women had busy lives and she was feeling like a burden to them. That was the worst part. Then came the offer. If she signed those papers she would be faced with the brutal realization that she was never going to go back home. She would never

again play in the gardens that she had planted. She would never sit on that deck to watch the sunset over the view of the park. The buyer had allowed for a day’s wait before she needed to respond to the offer. She needed that time. She needed to be alone with her thoughts. She gathered up some strength overnight. Perhaps the Realtor’s silent prayer had seen her through the anguish of emotions that came from letting go. She signed the contract. The house was sold. With a worried look on her face she clasped her daughter’s hand and asked, “How are you going to manage getting everything moved so quickly?” “Don’t worry about it Mom, I’ll take care of it,” her baby said as she leaned toward her on the hospital bed. They were comforting, reassuring words. At least, that’s how they were delivered. She bit her tongue and tried to keep her lips from trembling. As a third person in the room, the Realtor observed a million words between mother and daughter that were never spoken. As she awaits being transferred to a nursing home, she spends her time thinking about the life she has lived, the memories she has made and the inevitable truth that like 100 per cent of others, one day this life will end. Perhaps she will make new friends in the nursing home and have much laughter over the next season of her life. Perhaps the pain will subside and she will go for walks this summer. For now, let her grieve a little. She is saying good-bye to more than just a house. Attentive from sign up until sign down, rural agent Tina Plett wins the affections of people near Steinbach, MB. with her unique blend of forward-thinking business savvy and down-home, countrified lifestyle. Sutton Group-Kilkenny proudly calls her their own. www.tinaplett.com REM

REM MAY 2016 49

No photos! Court rules against landlord Are landlords entitled to take photos for the purpose of listing or sale without the consent of the current tenant?

By Matt Maurer panel of three Ontario Divisional Court Judges have held that residential landlords are not permitted to photograph a property while it is occupied by a tenant unless the lease explicitly permits such photographs to be taken, or the landlord obtains the express consent of the tenant. The Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board ordered a tenant to be evicted when she refused to allow the landlord access to the property for the purpose of photographing it so that it could be listed for sale. The tenant refused on the basis that her privacy would be invaded if photographs of her and her children’s personal posses-

sions would be disseminated to the public via the Internet to advance the sale of the property. The Landlord and Tenant Board held, erroneously, that the lease in question provided the landlord with entry “in any circumstances” and that the landlord was therefore permitted to enter and take pictures. On appeal, the Divisional Court judges noted that the lease did not contain any such provision. The Divisional Court reviewed the relevant sections of the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 that pertain to a landlord’s right to enter the rental premises and found that none of the statutory provisions permitted entry for the purpose of taking photographs to market the property for sale or lease. Sections 26 and 27 of the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006

provide that a landlord may enter a rental unit for, among other reasons: 1. in cases of emergency; 2. to clean the unit if the lease requires the landlord to do so; 3. to show the unit to prospective tenants (if notice has been given to end the tenancy); 4. to carry out a repair, replacement or to do work; 5. to allow a potential mortgagee or insurer to view the property; and 6. to carry out an inspection of the unit. A landlord is also permitted to enter a property if they have the consent of the tenant or “for any other reasonable reason for entry specified in the tenancy agreement.” The Divisional Court noted that the lease in question allowed

the landlord to enter on notice “for showing the premises to prospective tenants or purchasers,” but also pointed out that “there is no clause permitted entry by an agent to take photographs in furtherance of a sale.” The Divisional Court held that the landlord had no right to enter to take photographs without the tenant’s consent (although they could take measurements) and overturned the eviction order that was made on the basis of the tenant’s refusal to allow entry. Interestingly, the Divisional Court distinguished the current case from a past case where a landlord took photographs of a property in connection with a damage inspection. In that case, the photographs were permitted due to the fact that they were taken in connection with an inspection, which

is expressly allowed by the legislation and presumably also due to the fact that the photographs would not impact the tenant’s privacy rights given that they would not be published on the Internet. This recent decision is another reminder of how a little forethought when drafting a lease can avoid complications down the road. Matt Maurer is an accomplished trial and appellate lawyer with nearly a decade of experience advocating on behalf of his clients. He is a regular contributor to print and online media publications on issues pertaining to real estate disputes and issues affecting the practice of law and access to justice. He is with Minden Gross LLP in Toronto. www.mindengross.com/ our-people/details/matt-maurer REM

Help young Canadians get into the housing market Here are some tips to keep in mind when working with first-time buyers. By Erica Nielsen

he spring home buying season is in full bloom. The good news is that intent to buy has increased across Canada, with 29 per cent of Canadians planning to purchase a home in the next two years, according to the 2016 Annual RBC Housing Poll. Younger Canadians between the ages of 18-24 are showing a marked increase in intent to buy a home compared to previous years (43 versus 34 per cent). Whether it’s wanting a change in lifestyle, pride of ownership or looking to build equity, there are many reasons why younger people are looking to buy a home. For most of them, they will be first-time

homebuyers and the process can be that much more daunting without the proper advice and preparation. Here are some tips to keep in mind when working with this segment of clients: Know your client. When you meet with a potential first-time home buyer, get an appreciation for how much they understand about the home buying experience; but also keep in mind that today’s buyers are much more knowledgeable. Now many buyers have already done a lot of research online and are familiar with mortgages, market conditions and advertised rates. Assume some level of knowledge on the part of your client, while still acknowledging that they are new to the home buying experience and need additional guidance throughout the process.

Ask the right questions to help them find the ‘right home’. Because they are younger buyers, they have specific needs that should be addressed from the get go. For example, ask your client about the neighbourhood they want to live in. Are good schools and community centres important? What about parks or amenities? Ask the questions that will help uncover what their future needs might be. A lot of younger buyers don’t think about those things. In fact, only three per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds consider good schools a must have when purchasing a home. Help clients think short and long term. When determining what kind of house your client wants, help them understand their needs in the next five to 10 years too. Just asking the questions help

home buyers understand if they want a home they can grow with, or whether they will treat this as a starter home. Have them think about whether they will need an office or nursery or if they will have an older relative come to live with them. Take the time to help your client paint a clear picture of their needs today as well as their possible future needs. Ensure they create a proper budget. Have an honest discussion around what they can comfortably afford today and in the future. Find out how familiar your clients are with the costs associated with purchasing a home – including lawyer fees, moving costs and property taxes. Have a conversation around ongoing monthly home ownership costs. Helping first-time home buyers understand

this impact to their personal finances could be beneficial. Understand the role of emotion. My last piece of advice for real estate salespeople working with younger buyers – although this applies for all potential home owners – is to always remember that buying a home is emotional. Despite all of the technology available these days and all of the listings and homes for sale, buying a home is still full of emotion – good and bad. Listen to your clients’ wants and needs and try to be truly helpful. You’re an unbiased advisor and young buyers will appreciate your sincerity and support. Erica Nielsen is vice-president of Products and Segments with Home Equity Financing, for the Royal Bank of Canada. REM

50 REM MAY 2016

Streamline hiring for your team that ensues. In the end a wrong decision ends up wasting time and money and risks going through the process a second time around. And maybe a third. Or fourth. What teams need is a streamlined hiring process that saves them time and increases the odds of finding the right person for their team. The following eight points are the foundation of that process. Develop a proper checklist: Take the time to prepare a description of what the job entails and the qualifications you are looking for. You will also need a list of attributes you value, such as a sense of humour and time management. This will make it easier to visualize the person you are looking for and help you imagine candidates actually doing the job. Use your network: More often than not, the ideal candidate is hidden in plain sight. They might be part of your network of contacts – clients, colleagues, friends and even someone family members might know. This is a

By Ken Goodfellow

single agent can only do so much. The success of a real estate team depends on the quality of your talent. One bad hire can ruin the entire team’s productivity, motivation and morale. There are so many things to consider, and there is no magic formula, but there are a number of key issues to consider before you start the hiring process. Most real estate teams and businesses do not have the luxury of a dedicated HR department, can’t afford a head hunter and don’t believe they have a lot of time to devote to the hiring process, so they look for a shortcut and end up hiring the wrong person and witnessing the disaster

• You have a small claims court matter to deal with? • Your client has a “tenant from hell”, and he/she has to be evicted? • Your client wants to reduce his real estate taxes? (A way to get more listings: offer this service.)

• You received a letter of complaint from RECO?

LET’S GET TOGETHER AND TALK In addition, I'm a real estate broker with over 40 years of experience. I can provide you with valuable insight into the law.

the qualifications may be inflated. You are going to be working with and relying on this person. Attitude is important. Look for someone who not only wants to work, but wants to work with you and your company. Listen to your gut. Seek a second opinion: Once you get down to one or two possible candidates, have them come back in for a second interview. This time introduce them to other team members and give them a tour of the office. Have someone who will be working directly with them or their potential supervisor meet them and ask a few questions. Feedback from another source will hopefully confirm your decision, or in some cases make you aware of something you missed. Establish your core values: Hire according to your core values. If you know what attitudes and behaviours are important to you, it’s easier to filter candidates accordingly. Attitude and work ethic trump experience and skills. Technical abilities can be learned. Basic personality traits are difficult to change, so hire a candidate that is a good fit with your core values.

Hire someone who fits: This might sound like a no-brainer, but I’ve seen it happen where an entrepreneur hired a person who was at the top of their field, a genius with stellar abilities. This person was also an intolerant egomaniac and quickly talked down to the other team members and treated them rudely. Picture yourself being trapped in an elevator for three hours with this person – would they drive you crazy? If so, don’t hire them. In a perfect world you would have an ideal team and no one would ever leave, but barring that you should proactively keep your hand in the talent pool, to offset attrition and accommodate growth. Successful entrepreneurs are always hiring. Ken Goodfellow is the CEO, chairman of Goodfellow Coaching, which coaches North America’s top agents, brokers and teams. Coach Ken will be the keynote speaker at Chicago’s Millionaire Team Summit (http://millionaireteamsummit.com/) July 12 – 13, as well as October’s Mastery Summit in Scottsdale, Ariz. REM

Home warranty program offers discounts for sales reps

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good place to start because someone you trust has recommended these people. If you advertise, be sure to put a time limit on responses and be specific about what you are looking for to avoid getting 200 resumes to read through. Perform an applicant evaluation: Once you have decided which candidates to interview (keep it under 10) check out as many details from their resumes as you possibly can before you meet them, including academic credentials and references. Be a sceptic: Prepare for and go into the interview skeptical and make the candidate prove you wrong. Most people go into interviews wanting to like the person and have them be a perfect fit. Go in planning to be disappointed and hopefully you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Interview the right way: Have preset questions to ask each candidate, but don’t be afraid to veer off course if it feels right. You want to know more than qualifications and experience. Let the applicant do 90 per cent of the talking and make sure you are listening carefully for discrepancies or areas where

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gents are always on the lookout for tools that will give them a leg up on the competition, and what could be better to keep buyers and sellers happy than a home warranty, asks Mario Schaumer, senior consultant at Home Warranty Canada. “One of the largest concerns of prospective purchasers is having to budget for unexpected repairs to the household appliances and major systems included with the house,” he says, adding that having a home warranty provides agents and their clients with peace of mind. Home Warranty Canada’s new platinum and gold warranty

plans cover major systems and appliances when they break down. It covers everything from plumbing and heating to air conditioning, electrical systems and built-in dishwashers. The platinum plan includes such extras as garage door openers, sump pumps and even wine chillers. Optional riders are available for a second set of appliances, roof leak repairs and swimming pool hot tubs. Plans are also available for multi-unit properties. Home Warranty Canada’s parent company, A-Protect Warranty Corporation, has been providing warranties for cars for 17 years and has an AAA rating

with the Better Business Bureau, Schaumer says. The company also has a home club membership program for agents and homeowners that offers discounted prices on services and products. Agents can purchase the five-year warranties at a discounted price of $495 per year for homes with 4,000 square feet or less. The warranty can be used as a selling technique and activated once the house sells so there are no upfront costs. The warranty is transferred to the buyer upon closing. Coverage is a maximum of $2,500 per appliance. Continued on page 57

52 REM MAY 2016

Calgary 2. Michelle Yu, Re/Max Real Estate Services, Vancouver 3. Joyce Tourney, Re/Max Crown Real Estate, North, Regina 4. Laura Clarke, Re/Max Crest Realty, North Vancouver 5. Ron Antalek, Re/Max LifeStyles Realty, Maple Ridge

Re/Max of Western Canada recognizes top achievers Re/Max of Western Canada announced its list of top affiliates in 2015 at the annual Western Canada Awards event in Las Vegas recently. “Overall, our Western Canada region experienced a very successful year, with tremendous growth in overall membership,” says regional executive vice president Elton Ash.

Top 5 Individuals – Residential 1. Edith Chan, Re/Max Masters Realty, West Vancouver 2. Shahin Behroyan, Re/Max Masters Realty, West Vancouver 3. Victor Kwan, Re/Max Select Properties, Vancouver 4. Danny Deng, Re/Max Select Properties, Vancouver 5. Simon Hunt, Re/Max House of Real Estate, Calgary

Top 5 Associates – Commercial 1. Raymond Leung, Re/Max Real Estate Services, Vancouver 2. Pete Vanderham, Re/Max Medalta Real Estate, Medicine Hat, Alta. 3. Peter Hall, Re/Max Central, Burnaby, B.C. 4. Noel Llewellyn, Re/Max Commercial Advantage, Vancouver 5. Scott Predenchuk, Re/Max Crown Real Estate, North, Regina

Top 5 Teams – Residential 1. Justin Havre, Re/Max First,

Transaction Awards: Manitoba Team: Keith Unger, Re/Max

Diamond Club Award Winners are celebrated on stage at the Re/Max of Western Canada 2016 Awards Celebration. Re/Max of Western Canada executive director Roy Anderson announces the winners at the Re/Max of Western Canada 2016 Awards Celebration in Las Vegas.

Ruth Ferguson-Shaw

Sandra Wyant

From left: Gary Simonsen, CEO of CREA; Bill Madder; and Lynette Keyowski, chair of the AE Committee.

Performance Realty, Steinbach Individual: Kevin Moist, Re/Max Performance Realty, Winnipeg Office: Re/Max Performance Realty, Winnipeg Broker/owner: Tom Fulton, Eric Joseph Saskatchewan Team: Joyce Tourney, Re/Max Crown Real Estate, North, Regina Individual: Gladys Secondiak, Re/Max Blue Chip Realty, Yorkton Office: Re/Max Saskatoon (East), Saskatoon Broker/owner: Larry Stewart Alberta Team: Justin Havre, Re/Max First, Calgary Individual: Bryan Logel, Re/Max Real Estate (Central), Calgary Office: Re/Max Real Estate (Central), Calgary Broker/owner: Pat Hare

British Columbia Team: Ron Antalek, Re/Max LifeStyles Realty, Maple Ridge Individual: Trevor Bolin, Re/Max Action Realty, Fort St. John Office: Re/Max Kelowna, Kelowna Broker/owners: Cliff Shillington, Jerry Redman, Peter Kirk Western Canada Overall Team – Justin Havre, Re/Max First, Calgary Individual – Bryan Logel, Re/Max Real Estate (Central), Calgary Top Office Small Market – Re/Max Blue Chip Realty, Yorkton Broker/owners: Jack Wruth, Doris Shank Top Office Overall – Re/Max Real Estate (Central), Calgary Broker/owner: Pat Hare Broker/owner of the Year: Small Market – Judy Gray, Carl

From left: Steve Sedgwick, Realtors Association of Edmonton chair; Realtor of the Year Charlie Ponde; and Michael Thompson, president and CEO.

Doug Slinn, left, receives his award from Derek Ramage of CMHC. (Photo: Calvin Fehr)

NSAR past-president Gord Burns, left, presents the Realtor Volunteer of the Year award to Neil Black.

Bob Buttar, broker/owner, Coldwell Banker Haida Realty, left, accepts the award from Nick Goetz, regional director, The Leduc Rep newspaper, which sponsored the awards gala.

From left: David Armstrong, Coast Capital Savings; Nancy Allwarden; Ian Mackay; Jillian Dashwood; and Shannon Wright, Coast Capital Savings. Dawn Walton was not available when the photo was taken. (Photo: Artez Photography)

Chris Chan

Jimi Brockett

REM MAY 2016 53

Scott, Re/Max Mid-Island Realty, Ucluelet, B.C. Multi-Office – Mike Heinrich, Charlie Parker, Graeme Parker, Re/Max Camosun, Victoria Single Office – Carl Bretzlaff, Re/Max Real Estate (Edmonton) – North, Edmonton Robert H. Cherot Award: John Lichtenwald, Re/Max Metro Group, Vancouver Manager of the Year: Catherine Schellenberg, Re/Max Professionals, Winnipeg Administrator of the Year: Marcia Williams, Re/Max Elite, Edmonton Spirit of the West: Jonathan Gelderman, Re/Max Aldercenter Realty, Aldergrove, B.C. Special Services: Susan McGougan, Re/Max First Realty, Parksville, B.C. Special Services: Jake Moldowan, Re/Max Westcoast, Richmond, B.C. Community Care: Patsy Hui, Re/Max Westcoast, Richmond, B.C.

Bill Madder presented with AE Award Bill Madder, CEO of the Association of Saskatchewan Realtors, was presented with the Association Executives Network Award of Excellence at the CREA AGM in March. “We in Saskatchewan have always known that Bill is exceptional in what he does, and now it has been recognized nationally,” says ASR president Kevin Wouters in the association’s newsletter. Madder has been CEO with the ASR for 15 years.

Doug Slinn named Regina Realtor of the Year “It doesn’t matter if he’s coaching teens on the basketball court or football field, teaching courses for new Realtors or finding a family the home of their dreams, Doug Slinn loves helping people,” says the Association of Regina Realtors (ARR). The association has selected Slinn as 2015 ARR Realtor of the Year. Sponsored by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp., the award recognizes an ARR member who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and dedication to both the real estate industry and the community at large.

Regina-born Slinn got his real estate license in 1972, working in sales for homebuilders. He then explored other careers, including air traffic control, before returning to real estate in 1986 as a Realtor and appraiser. Over the years, he’s made time to coach several minor sports teams, volunteer with the school community council and the Kinsmen, as well as serve on the Appraisal Institute of Canada and the ARR’s Professional Standards Committee. “My dad set the example. He helped anybody he could,” says Slinn, a Realtor with Century 21 Dome Realty. “This industry has given me friends for life. I’ve always believed in giving back.”

Woodstock, N.B. Realtor wins Dave Hawkins Award The New Brunswick Real Estate Association (NBREA) recently presented this year’s Dave Hawkins Award to Ruth FergusonShaw, a Woodstock Realtor with more than 28 years in the real estate industry. The Dave Hawkins Award is presented annually to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the real estate industry in New Brunswick. Ferguson-Shaw has been a leader in organized real estate at many levels, the association says. She has been a licensed Realtor since 1988 and has taught prelicensing courses for the province. In 2014 Ferguson-Shaw was the recipient of the first Volunteer of the Year Award presented by the Fredericton Real Estate Board for community service and volunteerism. She has served as president of the local Chamber of Commerce, Florenceville Rotary Club, the local school board and many other endeavours. Ferguson-Shaw’s motto is: “Treat every customer and client like family.” She has a family farm upbringing and for many years owned and operated quarter horse boarding, lessons and show stables in Florenceville.

Four VIREB members honoured Four members of the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board (VIREB) received Realtors Care Awards at a special awards

luncheon recently in Nanaimo, B.C. VIREB hosted the event in conjunction with its annual general meeting to recognize members who give back to their communities. Coast Capital Savings sponsored the event for the ninth year in a row. Nancy Allwarden, Jillian Dashwood, Ian Mackay and Dawn Walton received the awards. VIREB will donate $500 to each recipient’s chosen charity. Allwarden, a Realtor with Discovery Islands Realty on Quadra Island, has worked on many volunteer boards and organizations. An alternate director of Quadra Island Emergency Support Services, Allwarden is also a dispatcher and member of the Quadra Island Fire Department, recently passing her First Responder course. For Dashwood, a Realtor with Royal LePage Nanaimo Realty in Ladysmith, volunteering is a way of life. Playschool and parenting groups, community theatre, emergency preparedness initiatives and municipal politics have all benefited from Dashwood’s involvement, says the board. Mackay, who is with Royal LePage Parksville-Qualicum Beach Realty, has used his real estate knowledge and business experience to help several local organizations with business initiatives. As board chair of Oceanside Hospice Society, he helped secure multi-year provincial funding and initiated a capital improvement fund that has seen significant growth. Walton, a Realtor with Re/Max Nanaimo, is an executive member of the Children’s Miracle Network Board of Directors. Walton has helped his brokerage become the Re/Max office in Western Canada with the highest donations.

OREA awards presented to volunteers, YPN leaders Several members of the Ontario Real Estate Association were recognized during OREA’s 2016 Leadership Conference in Toronto recently. Jeff Mahannah of the Oakville, Milton and District Real Estate Board won the OREA Volunteer Leader Award, which recognizes

members for their outstanding volunteer contribution. The Spirit Award recognizes contributions to the success of the Ontario Realtors Care Foundation and/or to the advancement of its goal to assist members in supporting shelter-related charities in their communities. Recipients for 2016 in the individual category were Betty Doré, CEO of the London & St. Thomas Association of Realtors (LSTAR); Paula Hodgson, LSTAR; Mike Stahls, The Lakelands Association of Realtors; and Dana Yonemitsu, Bancroft & Area Association of Realtors. OREA Young Professionals Network (YPN) Leadership Award winners were Bradley MayerHarman, Brampton; John-Ross Parks, Belleville; Peter Butler, Oshawa; Lindsay Reid, London; and Einas Makki, Temiskaming Shores.

Charlie Ponde is Edmonton’s Realtor of the Year The Realtors Association of Edmonton presented its highest honour, the Realtor of the Year Award, to Charlie Ponde, an associate at Realty Executives North Star. Ponde has been a Realtor since 1992. He was a member of the association’s Board of Directors from 2004-2010, serving as the president in 2009. Ponde has also held seats on numerous committees. He currently serves as a director for the Alberta Real Estate Association (AREA) and as the chair of the Alberta Real Estate Foundation. Throughout his career, Ponde has been dedicated to not only his professional career, but also to being actively involved in the community, says the association. He held a seat on the Realtors Community Foundation for several years, serving as the foundation’s president in 2000. In addition, life memberships to the association were awarded to three active Realtors for their commitment to the real estate industry. They are: • Sheldon Johnston. A member since 1988, he has served on the association’s Board of Directors, the Real Estate Council of Alberta and the Real Estate Insurance Exchange. Johnston is

the broker/owner of Liv Real Estate in Edmonton. • Bill Tarrabain. A member since 1990, he has sat on numerous committees and focus groups throughout western Canada. Tarrabain currently serves as the president of Realty Executives Western Canada. • Past president Greg Steele. While serving his time as president, in 2014, he served as chair of the Audit Committee. Steele is an associate with Re/Max Excellence in Edmonton. Other awards presented: Rookie of the Year – Brittany Collard, Realty Executives Devonshire Young Professional – Travis Hawryluk, Re/Max Real Estate Broker/manager Leadership: Sheldon Johnston, Liv Real Estate Volunteer of Distinction: Sid van der Meulen, retired

Vancouver board presents top honour to Sandra Wyant The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) recently presented Sandra Wyant with the Professional Excellence Award. Wyant is with Re/Max LifeStyles Realty in Maple Ridge. The award is REBGV’s highest honour. Wyant was nominated by her peers and chosen by a panel of judges. The winner must meet strict requirements of professionalism, ethics and community involvement. The board says Wyant “has spent several years helping to lead and shape the real estate profession.” She was one of the first instructors in the profession’s Ethical Leadership Program. She has volunteered as a director of the B.C. Real Estate Association and the REBGV and served as REBGV president for the 2013-2014 term. Beyond real estate, Wyant is also known as a community builder, the board says. She volunteers as a member of the Community Advisory Council at the Salvation Army Ridge Meadows Ministries. She was also instrumental in forming the Costa Rica Kids School Sponsorship Program that supports underprivileged children in Costa Rica. Wyant has made several trips to Costa Rica to lend a helping hand. Continued on page 54

54 REM MAY 2016

Vince Mirabelli first recipient of national Realtors Care Award V

ince Mirabelli of Thunder Bay, Ont. has been honoured with the first national Canadian Realtors Care Award. Mirabelli, of Re/Max First Choice Realty, was selected from a list of 18 philanthropic Realtors from across Canada who were nominated for the award. At 36-years-old, Mirabelli has established a successful real estate career and has helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for an array of local charities, says the Canadian Realtors Care Foundation. He started volunteering as a teen. In 2005, he personally kickstarted a gala fundraiser for the Northern Cardiac Fund of the Thunder Bay Regional Health

And the honour goes to... Continued from page 53

Halifax broker named Realtor Volunteer of the Year Neil Black has been named the 2015 Volunteer of the Year by the Nova Scotia Association of Realtors (NSAR). As the third recipient of this honour, Black has been acknowledged for “unparalleled dedication to both the real estate industry and his province of Nova Scotia,” says the association. “Neil has always been a committed, hard worker for his community and for so many organizations,” says Realtor Jacob Risk, who nominated Black for the award. “Neil is always kind, considerate and friendly and leads by example.” Black says he was raised in a family of “do-gooders” and was taught that to have a good place to live, one must put back into the community. He began his volunteering early as he grew up on the Saint John River, carrying food supplies to the very poor for the St. Vincent De Paul Society. Since then, he’s helped

Sciences Foundation, in honour of his father. This annual event is now in its 11th year and has raised approximately $500,000, which has been instrumental to the growth of the local hospital’s cardiology program. In 2009, with an initial donation of $25,000, he established the Vince Mirabelli Paediatric Endowment Fund in support of the hospital’s littlest patients. He aims to grow the fund to $1 million in his lifetime. “Vince is a true pillar of his community of Thunder Bay. He is involved in virtually every charitable event in town. He has become part of the heart and soul of a number of local charities,” says Ralph Fyfe, chair of the Canadian

Realtors Care Foundation. “The full list of charities he has supported over the years is too long to recount. His impact cannot be overstated.” In recognition of the award, the foundation will donate $5,000 to one of Mirabelli’s favourite charities, Our Kids Count, a community development program that works to build stronger families and inclusive communities in Thunder Bay. “I think we were all put on this Earth for something greater than just ourselves,” Mirabelli says. “We were all put on this Earth to help our fellow human being.” The award is sponsored by Scotiabank Home Financing REM Solutions.

Vince Mirabelli (Photo: Colin Rowe Photography)

the Kidney Foundation, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia and fundraising for numerous community projects such as the Dartmouth Sportsplex. Black has also participated in many varied volunteer boards, ranging from the local residents association to the Economic Renewal Agency for the Province of Nova Scotia. Black now serves as a director of NSAR. He is with Century 21 A.B.C. Realty. “Neil represents a true community volunteer and feels that we must share our time and experience to continue to raise the standard of our industry,” says Realtor Gord Burns, NSAR past president, who presented the award at a special celebration recently.

to broker/owner Bob Buttar at the Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards gala in February. The brokerage has a sales and service team of 23 professionals with more than 300 years of combined service to the community. It has been affiliated with Coldwell Banker for 20 years. The company’s public service activities include an annual Canada Day flag planting that has been a community favourite for the past 20 years and has recently been combined with a Canada Day Food Bank Drive. The company’s other charitable activities include a Christmas Pajamas Drive for children in need and participating in the “Revving Up for Kids” fundraiser for the Kids with Cancer organization.

award was from Leadership Excellence and Development, a U.S.-based international organization. “It is our goal to develop high quality, experienced and trained leaders at the 40 real estate boards and associations in Ontario,” says Bill Shepherd, executive director, OCLD. Over 90 per cent of the selection criteria was based on participant feedback. The three-day leadership-training program was developed with Ottawa-based Ken Anderson & Associates and ranked among the top 10 in North America for best use of classroom and traditional training. The workshops were recognized for building leadership skills and driving business results.

Coldwell Banker Haida Realty named Leduc Business of the Year

OREA’s Centre for Leadership Development wins award

Vancouver board honours members for charitable work

Coldwell Banker Haida Realty has been honoured as the 2015 Business of the Year by the Leduc & District Chamber of Commerce in Leduc, Alta. The honour comes as the company marks its 40th anniversary. The Leduc Business of The Year Award for 2015 was presented

The Ontario Real Estate Association Centre for Leadership Development (OCLD) has won an award for its unique program, Building Leadership Through Communication, the course offered to the incoming presidents of Ontario’s real estate boards. The

The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) recently recognised two members for their commitment to charity and community causes. Realtors Chris Chan and Jimi Brockett were honoured with the Realtors Care Award at REBGV’s annual Medallion

Club Awards gala. Chan, of Regent Park Realty in Vancouver, founded the Young Ambassadors Program, which creates projects for youth across the Lower Mainland to volunteer and fundraise for B.C. Children’s Hospital. Chan’s son was diagnosed with leukemia at three years old. Seeing Children’s Hospital at work through his son’s recovery gave Chan an appreciation for the hospital’s need for help and funding. The charity has raised $700,000 in the past five years. Brockett, of Dexter Associates Realty in Vancouver, lost his son Ryder to brain cancer. During the treatment process, Brockett saw his community come to his aid and support his family through this tough time. As soon as he was in the position to give back he jumped at the opportunity. Brockett is the captain of one of the largest teams in the Ride to Conquer Cancer – Riders for Ryders. The team has raised more than $2 million since 2009. Brockett also founded Foundation 33, a non-profit that’s dedicated to helping families affected by cancer by just making them smile. REM

REM MAY 2016 55

form of childhood cancer. At last year’s clinic, more than 50 car seats were installed for free and they raised a few hundred dollars for the fund. ■ ■ ■

Good Works S

alespeople from Ontario Re/Max offices set a record for fund raising in 2015 for The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) through the signature Re/Max Miracle Home Program. Together they raised $730,000. This brings Re/Max Integra’s lifetime donation to more than $4.3 million. The top 10 fundraising brokerages were: 1. Re/Max Realtron Realty, $130,004 2. Re/Max Hallmark Realty and Hallmark York, $116,357 3. Re/Max West Realty, $44,220 4. Re/Max Real Estate Centre, $36,549 5. Re/Max Rouge River Realty, $33,619 6. Re/Max All-Stars Realty, $25,250 7. Re/Max Ultimate Realty, $24,175 8. Re/Max Professionals, $23,241 9. Re/Max Realty Specialists, $22,917 10. Re/Max Premier, $18,635 Top 10 sales rep donors: 1. Barry Cohen, Re/Max Realtron

2. Brigitte Obregon, Re/Max Ultimate Realty 3. Ralph Ciancio, Re/Max AllStars 4. Anonymous donor 5. Mark Richards, Re/Max Hallmark 6. Wayne Kahn, Re/Max Realtron 7. Cintia De Souza, Re/Max Ultimate Realty 8. Frank Leo, Re/Max West 9. Leilani Evans, Re/Max Professionals 10. Rajiv Rajpal, Re/Max Realtron ■ ■ ■

Whitby, Ont. sales reps Chantail Guest and Kelly Lumsden of Sutton Group Heritage Realty are sponsoring a free car seat clinic on Saturday, June 4 at 3455 Garrard Rd. from 11 am to 4 pm. It’s the third year in a row they have sponsored the event, along with Kiddie Proofers’ owner Sandie Massie. There will also be a raffle with a top prize of a Diono Radian RXT car seat, with all proceeds benefiting the Gillie Beans FUNd. This charitable fund was established by a local family who lost their daughter Gillian to a rare

SickKids Hospital patient Georgia’s very first day at home in Burlington, Ont. was on March 26 after she spent 5 1/2 months in the hospital. Vanessa and Gord’s first child was diagnosed, in utero, with hypoplastic left heart syndrome at 18 weeks. Her journey has included three cardiac arrests, open-heart surgery performed on day five of her life and a second open-heart surgery in February. The funds raised by Re/Max help support the hospital’s highest priority needs, says SickKids.

Exit Realty Corp. International has pledged to donate $500,000 to Habitat for Humanity International, bringing the company’s pledges to $3 million to date. The company’s affiliation with Habitat for Humanity began in 2004 when the company sponsored its first home build in West Palm Beach, Fla. Since then it has sponsored 18 additional home builds in Canada and the U.S., and has participated in a community revitalization project and the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project. “A portion of every transaction fee collected by Exit Realty Corp. International is pledged to Habitat for Humanity and many of our associates, including myself, have volunteered for our various projects,” says Tami Bonnell, Exit Realty’s CEO. ■ ■ ■

Once a year the Boys and Girls Club of Kelowna, B. C. holds a charity auction to help raise funds for the local facility. This year The Bergg Homes Team of Re/Max Kelowna and Beets and Boos Bistro combined to donate an inhome dining experience. The highest bidders online were Bart and Ingrid Dilschneider, who invited four friends to their home to enjoy the prize. Lynn Miller, the owner of Beets and Boos, came to their home to

Chantail Guest and Kelly Lumsden

cook a meal. Steven and Annette Bergg of the Bergg Homes Team brought a large selection of wines from Urban Liquor to sample. The Boys and Girls Club is a local charity with a downtown facility that helps children in crisis. ■ ■ ■

Sutton Group - Heritage Realty in Ajax, Ont. is offering to help four students with a total of $5,000 through the new Sutton Heritage Scholarship Fund. There will be one $2,000 and three $1,000 scholarships. “Our broker of record, Rosalind Menary and her husband Ron, wanted to find a way to give back to our community and also thank our support staff and sales team for their loyalty and service,” says Lindsay Barlow, assistant manager. “With their own granddaughter heading to university in the fall, they’ve seen firsthand the cost of post-secondary education and thought a scholarship fund would be a great way to help the next generation.” The fund is made possible by personal contributions of Rosalind Menary and her husband, as well as salespeople from the brokerage who donate a portion of their commissions. ■ ■ ■

Each month, approximately 30 families rely on the Dorchester (Ont.) Food Bank and keeping the shelves stocked is always a challenge. Wayne Jewell, broker of record at Sutton - Diamond Realty, knows firsthand the struggles of his neighbours, having spent much of

Above: Bart and Ingrid Dilschneider and friends enjoy their meal, which was served by Steven and Annette Bergg of the Bergg Homes Team in Kelowna.

Right: Kirsten Faverin, organizer of the fundraising initiative and David Bonk.

his life in the Aylmer and Dorchester region. He recently donated his entire $4,200 commission from a real estate transaction to the Dorchester Food Bank. He gave another $4,000 commission to charity in 2014. His contribution of more than $4,200 will help to provide healthy choices such as canned tuna, soup and fruit as well as diapers and other infant essentials. ■ ■ ■

The NEXTGENre Bar Camp Conference that was held in Calgary in March raised more than $4,500 for the local charity Hearts and Hammers. The sold-out conference had more than 300 attendees who supported the charity by purchasing tickets for a home listing donated by sponsor TD Canada Trust. The winner of the draw, Joe Viani, pledged to donate to the cause personally. In addition, Margaret Neff, a sales rep with CIR Realty and Rick Campos, broker at Re/Max First, each made a personal donation of $1,000. Hearts and Hammers is a local non-profit run by Dave C. Bonk, an associate at Urban Real Estate Services. The organization provides renovations for locals in need with mobility challenges. The Calgary organizing committee for the event was spearheaded by Virginia Munden of Oakville Ont. and locally organized by individuals representing various real estate brokerages, including Kelley Skar, Kirsten Faverin, Nick Profeta and Kelly REM Kimber.

Above from left: Wayne Jewell, Jean and Bob Davis of the Dorchester Food Bank, and vendors Michelle and Jamie Rice in front of their Queen Street home.

56 REM MAY 2016

egina’s Cliff Iverson of Re/Max Crown Real Estate in Regina is the 2016/17 president of CREA. Iverson has been a Realtor since 1978 and is a past president of the Association of Regina Realtors (ARR) and the Association of Saskatchewan Realtors (ASR). He has also received top honours from both organizations. He was named CMHC Realtor of the Year by the ARR in 2000 and received the ASR Distinguished Realtor Award in 2011. He’s also an honorary life member of the ASR. ■ ■ ■

The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) has elected Langley Realtor Deanna Horn as its 2016-2017 president. “As BCREA president, I look forward to helping communicate the value of working with a Realtor,” says Horn, who is an associate broker at Re/Max

Cliff Iverson

Deanna Horn

Treeland Realty. She has been an active Realtor for more than 30 years. She was president of the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board (FVREB) in 2010 and has served on numerous committees at both BCREA and FVREB. Joining her as officers of the association are president elect Jim Stewart of 460 Realty in Nanaimo, past president Scott Russell of Sutton Group – Seafair Realty in Richmond and CEO Robert Laing. BCREA also welcomed new directors Brenda Jackman (Victoria) and Gisela Janzen (100 Mile House), as well as a new public director, Diane Dou. Returning directors include David Kearney (Port Coquitlam), Gary McInnis (Victoria), James Palanio (Penticton) and Dick Pemberton (Kamloops). The returning public director is Anthony Ariganello. ■ ■ ■

Ray Ferris

Dan Morrison

Port Rowan-based real estate broker Ray Ferris has assumed the role of president of the Ontario Real Estate Association. Active in the real estate profession for 20 years, Ferris is broker of record with Erie’s Edge Real Estate in Port Rowan. He is past president of the Simcoe & District Real Estate Board. At OREA, Ferris has served several committees and has been on the OREA board of directors since 2012. Ettore Cardarelli of Mississauga will serve as president-elect. OREA directors-at-large are: Azizali Kanjee of Mississauga; John Oddi of Brantford; Anna Vozza of Windsor; and Valerie Miles of Bancroft. Eavan Travers of London will serve as commercial director and Costa Poulopoulos of London currently serves as the director representing the provincial association to CREA. Mark McLean of the Toronto Real Estate Board has been appointed substantial membership director. Pat Verge remains on the board as past-president. Provincial directors representing different geographic areas are: Eastern Ontario, Linda McCallum; Central Ontario, John Meehan and Ettore Cardarelli; Northern Ontario, David Kurt; Southern Ontario, Sean Morrison; Northeastern Ontario, David Reid; and Western Ontario, Karen Cox.

Anthony Bastiaanssen

Trent Wilkins

Barb Whitney

Robert Stewart

■ ■ ■

The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) recently introduced Dan Morrison as its 2016/2017 president. Morrison replaces outgoing president Darcy McLeod. Morrison has served on the REBGV Board of Directors for the last four years and has worked on numerous committees and groups within the real estate profession. He began his real estate career 24 years ago. He is an associate broker with Re/Max Crest Realty in North Vancouver. In 1999, he was one of the first Realtors to receive REBGV’s Realtor’s Care Award for outstanding contributions to the community. Supporting the president in 2016 is president-elect Jill Oudil of Coldwell Banker Westburn Realty and vice president Phil Moore of Re/Max Central. Other members of the board are McLeod, Re/Max Results Realty; Taylor Biggar, Re/Max Westcoast; Barb Burrows, Macdonald Commercial Real Estate Services; Doug Dang, Amex Broadway West Realty; Lynn Dequanne, Re/Max Central; Colette Gerber, Sutton Group West Coast Realty; Danny Gerbrandt, Royal LePage Brookside Realty; Wendy Hunter, Sutton Group - West Coast Realty;

Keith Liedtke, Re/Max Westcoast; Lisa Morris, Re/Max Masters Realty; Ashley Smith, Royal LePage Sussex - Klein Group; Deborah Spicer, Sutton Group West Coast Realty; and David Yang, Royal Pacific Realty Corp. Advisors to the Board of Directors are Catherine Boivie and Brian Friedrich. ■ ■ ■

The Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board (OMREB) has elected Anthony Bastiaanssen as president for the 2016 - 2017 term. Bastiaanssen was installed at OMREB’s Annual General Meeting recently, along with 10 directors representing the Realtors of Central Okanagan, North Okanagan and the Shuswap. Bastiaanssen, a managing broker for Re/Max Kelowna in West Kelowna, has been an OMREB member for 10 years and a director on the board since 2014. He succeeds Christopher Miller, who will continue in the role of past president. Other members of the Board of Directors: Tanis Read (vice president), Marv Beer, Dave Favell, Kim Heizmann, Bill Hubbard, Derryanne Hubbard, Michael Loewen and Brent Pay. ■ ■ ■

Trent Wilkins, the new presi-

The 2016 VIREB Board of Directors. From left, back row: Bill Benoit, Sandy Rantz, Cholene Begin, Kaye Broens, Neil Woodrow, Marty Douglas, Don McClintock and Mark Clark. Front row: Janice Stromar, Margo Hoffman and Jason Finlayson. (Photo: Artez Photography)

From left: Iris Gillies, Realtors Community Foundation president; Caitlin Fleming, Edmonton Meals on Wheels; and Jill Didow, executive director of the foundation.

The NBREA presented a cheque to the Sussex Sharing Club.

REM MAY 2016 57

dent of Greater Moncton Realtors du Grand Moncton, brings almost 10 years of real estate experience to the position. Wilkins has served for a number of years as a director and in 2015 became first vice president of the board in preparation to take on the president’s role from André Malenfant. “We are committed to upholding our mission and for the past few years we have been rapidly advancing technology services to our members for this reason,” says Wilkins. He says one of these projects is the development of a new website, which will “support consumers when seeking out real estate services and provide an additional advertising tool for sellers and our members.” The new Board of Directors also includes first vice president Josette LeBlanc; second vice president Jesus Machado; secretary treasurer Kathy Guitard; directors Miranda Burnett, Marco Dibonaventura and Joanne Caissie; past president André Malenfant; and EO Kerry Rakuson. ■ ■ ■

London, Ont. Realtor Barb Whitney has been named president of the Ontario Realtors Care Foundation. Since its inception, the foundation has granted more than $3 million to shelter-based organizations across the province. “Barb believes passionately in community service and is a great proponent for the role organized real estate has to play in improving the quality of life in communities across the province,” says Stacey Evoy, president of the London and St. Thomas Association of Realtors (LSTAR). Whitney was LSTAR president in 2012. She served previously as a director on the foundation’s board. ■ ■ ■

Cambellton’s Robert Stewart will lead the New Brunswick Real Estate Association (NBREA) as president for a two-year term from 2016 to 2018. Stewart succeeds Fredericton Realtor Kari McBride. Stewart, a sales rep with Re/Max Prestige Realty, served on the Board of Directors of the NBREA for six years, two of those as a director for the Northern region, two as secretary-treasurer and two as first vice president. He is also currently president of the

Dalhousie Downtown Business Improvement Area Corporation. The NBREA also named a new Board of Directors made up of Realtors and two government appointees. The executive consists of Stewart, first vice president Sheila Henry, Saint John; second vice president Linda Vautour, Miramichi; secretary-treasurer Gordon Breau, Saint John; and past president McBride, Fredericton. The directors are André Malenfant, Moncton; Brad Thomas, Fredericton; Michael Lang, Valley; and Rejean Boucher, Northern. The government appointees are Erin Hardy, Fredericton and Andrew McLeod, Fredericton. ■ ■ ■

Nearly 120 Realtors and guests gathered recently to watch as the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board (VIREB) installed its 2016 board at the organization’s annual general meeting. VIREB president Jason Finlayson passed the gavel to Parksville Realtor Margo Hoffman, who will serve as president in 2016. Finlayson takes on the role of past-president this year, with Janice Stromar serving as president-elect. Returning to the board this year are Cholene Begin, Kaye Broens, Don McClintock, Sandy Rantz and Neil Woodrow. New to the VIREB board are Marty Douglas of Re/Max Ocean

Pacific Realty in Comox and Mark Clark from Royal LePage Nanaimo Realty. Douglas is a VIREB veteran, having spent several years as a director and serving as president in 1981. Departing board members Frank Fairley and past president Blair Herbert were recognized for their dedication and service to VIREB and its members.

later held at the Sussex Sharing Club. Attending were NBREA past president Kari McBride, Saint John Real Estate Board president Sheila Henry and representatives from the Sussex Sharing Club – Alfie Smith, president; Lois King, administrator; Shirley Adair, secretary; and Ann Leland, a board REM member.

■ ■ ■

From guide dogs to counselling programs, shelter assistance and mental health awareness, 59 local grassroots community agencies benefited from donations made by the Realtors Community Foundation’s Big Give in Edmonton. Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, the foundation has been giving out similar grants since 1986 and has contributed more than $4 million. The foundation supports projects involving shelter, homelessness, hunger, crime prevention and special projects. The funds are raised throughout the year at a number of Realtor events such as the Santa’s Christmas Auction, annual golf tournaments or business meetings. Individual Realtors also donate a portion of their commission from each sale. ■ ■ ■

The New Brunswick Real Estate Association (NBREA) held a charity fundraiser during its Annual General Meeting and Conference for the RealtorCare

Home warranty program Continued from page 50

If the agent doesn’t wish to cover the cost, they can offer the discounted price to their clients. The retail value of the plan is $995, Schaumer says. If there is a claim, the new owners contact Home Warranty Canada directly. A service provider is sent to fix the problem and collects a $75 service fee from the homeowner and then bills Home Warranty Canada for the balance. The warranty plan offers replacements as well as repairs. “We fix until it can’t be fixed,

foundation with donations going to the Sussex Sharing Club. NBREA and the members in attendance at the conference in one day raised $3,200. The day’s events included a 50/50 draw and silent auction at the Dave Hawkins Award dinner and dance. A cheque presentation was

then replace,” he says. The warranty eliminates after market issues for agents and also offers them a commission. The Canada-wide warranty program has been available for about six months, with many different companies and agents already on board, Schaumer says. Company representatives are visiting real estate offices across the country to introduce the warranty plans. To book a presentation or for more information, email Mario Schaumer at mario@homewarREM rantycanada.com

Trade Shows and Conferences To add a listing to this calendar, email jim@remonline.com

C21 Insiders Conferences May 3 - 4 - Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Richmond Hill, Ont. May 5 - 6 - Sheraton Cavalier Calgary, Calgary Carla Ty – supplier.expo@century21.ca Toronto Real Estate Board’s Realtor Quest May 4 - 5 Toronto Congress Centre Toronto www.realtorquest.ca HomeLife Annual International Conference May 16 - 17 Hilton Lac-Leamy Hotel and Casino, Gatineau, Que. Lori Cimerman – 416-733-9966 NEXTGENre – A Bar Camp Experience Tuesday, May 31 Hilton Vancouver Metrotown Vancouver facebook.com/events/149864093 3763668/ Atlantic Connection July 26 - 29 Delta Prince Edward & P.E.I. Convention Centre Charlottetown www.atlanticconnection.ca/

Activate 2016 Hosted by Re/Max of Western Canada Oct. 18 - 20 Fairmont Chateau Whistler Whistler, B.C. 2016 Coldwell Banker Gen Blue Experience Oct. 18 - 20 Miami Beach, Fla. http://genblue.coldwellbanker.com/ Realtors Association of Grey Bruce Owen Sound AGM & Tradeshow Wednesday, Oct. 26 Bayshore Community Centre Owen Sound ea@ragbos.com Century 21 Canada Conference Supplier Expo Oct. 28 - 29 Westin Bayshore, Vancouver Carla Ty – supplier.expo@century21.ca National Association of Realtors Realtors Conference & Expo Nov. 13 – 16 San Diego, Calif. www.realtor.org/convention.nsf/

Compiled with the assistance of Bob Campbell at Colour Tech Marketing, www.colourtech.com

58 REM MAY 2016

THE PUBLISHER’S PAGE

By Heino Molls

MARKETPLACE

t occurred to me the other day that I have done a lot of business with The Toronto Star or Torstar through its division Metroland Printing. They have helped by providing me with forest management certified paper and environmentally friendly inks because REM readers (the real estate industry) are especially demanding to have a publication that does not harm the earth. They have also helped by extending their time and especially their trust to pay my bills to them. I confess that I have been in their offices more than once with my hat in hand, asking for time to pay. Each time they have been kind to me and believed in me enough to give me that time. It is true that big corporations like Rogers, for example, are ruthless. I can say that some, like Torstar

Old dog. No tricks. do have hearts. REM is proof that they do. I have had this arrangement with Metroland for about 27 years now. It has been so long that the people I made the original deal with to get REM printed are long retired or have left the company. What is important for me is that over all these years, right to this day, every part of our business is done on a handshake. No contract and no big long legal agreement. After all these years Metroland honours our original arrangement. I applaud them and thank them. There are more scam artists in business today than ever before. It is not unusual to hear about folks who run up a bill and walk away from payment intentionally. It has happened to me more than once. I could tell you some names but I won’t. But it hurts. I am sure it has happened to Metroland. I do not know of any other business that extends the trust that Metroland gives to REM. Except one – the real estate business. It is still common for a sales-

person to work with someone buying or selling a home or commercial property for months and then get stiffed for all the time and work they put in to it. I do not just mean a situation where a salesperson shows a home and then the customer walks away without making a deal. The salesperson may spend days and even months explaining the market, talking about neighbourhoods, discussing the purchase of a fixer upper and going to great expense to find potential properties to show the client – only to have that customer go

around them and do a deal without them. On the selling side, a salesperson may get a well-priced listing agreement with a client, only to have that client demur on showings. After months of work marketing the home, the client decides not to sell the property and pulls out of the listing all together. I speak to Realtors every day. I know the industry has done its best to install new ideas such as buyer representation agreements, but at the end of the day it remains the nature of the busi-

Even the most seasoned and clever salesperson can still end up chasing a dream with a conniving client.

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ness that there will be people who use salespeople as a hobby or recreational activity. I also know that it is part of the skill set of a good Realtor to recognize and grasp these situations for what they are. With all that said, it still happens a lot. This is still a business of dreams from the side of the customer and also on the side of the agent. Even the most seasoned and clever salesperson can still end up chasing a dream with a conniving client. However, at the end of the day I think we should be grateful. The bottom line is that we are all still in business and no matter how bleak things may look sometimes, no matter how frustrating it may be for us that others take such advantage of us, we still have the opportunity to do our best and do well. It’s great to make money. I want very much to be a rich man. But doing well is so much more than riches in money. So I wish you well. Heino Molls is publisher of REM Email heino@remonline.com. REM

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